Preview: Bangladesh vs. Oman - prediction, team news, lineups

Bangladesh take on Oman in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The visitors require a draw to be assured of their place in the next round of qualifying.

Match preview

Bangladesh, meanwhile, are simply playing for pride in Tuesday's fixture.

It is perhaps no surprise that the 184th-ranked side in the world have failed to win any of their seven matches in qualifying so far, with their 2-0 defeat at home to India on Monday all but condemning them to finishing bottom of Group E.

Former Arsenal academy graduate Jamie Day has been in charge of the Bengal Tigers since 2018, guiding them to this stage of qualifying via a 1-0 aggregate win over Laos.

However, there is little scope for further footballing improvement in a cricket-obsessed nation, with the 41-year-old hoping to salvage some momentum in their final qualifier on Tuesday.

They are likely to meet a highly motivated Oman side, though, given that the visitors still need one more point to guarantee their progression to the third round.

A brace from Abdullah Fawaz helped secure a narrow 2-1 win against Afghanistan on Friday, which takes Oman to the top in the ranking of second-placed nations in Asian qualifying.

Only five of the eight second-placed countries can progress to the next round, with Iran in sixth still technically capable of overtaking the Reds.

Oman boss Branko Ivankovic actually led Iran to the 2006 World Cup earlier in his managerial career, so it would be quite some turnaround to progress to the next stage ahead of his former side.

Team News

All 25 of Bangladesh's current squad play their domestic football in the Bangladesh league.

There are only 14 international goals in the entire squad combined, with defender Topu Barman the top goalscorer in the squad on four goals.

All bar one of Oman's 23-man squad play their domestic football in their home league, too, with Jameel Al-Yahmadi of Al-Markhiya in Qatar the one exception.

Ivankovic is unlikely to make any changes to the XI which earned a fine win against Afghanistan as he looks to ensure his side get over the line.

Bangladesh possible starting lineup:
Rahman; Barman, Kazi, R.Mia, Molla; M.Mia, Zoni; Rafi, Bhuyan, Ahamed; Hossain

Oman possible starting lineup:
Al-Rashidi; Gheilani, Durbein, Juma, Al-Busaidi; Fawaz, Al-Aghbari, Al-Yahyaei; Al-Saadi; Al-Ghassani, Al-Muqbali

We say: Bangladesh 0-2 Oman

It should be a comfortable win for Oman, whose consistency deserves a place in the next round of Asian qualifying.

Oman are 104 places above their forthcoming opponents in the FIFA world rankings, so it would be a major shock if they were to fail to make it six wins from eight.