Dhaka, March 26: The AFC U-23 group E qualifiers comprising Uzbekistan, Syria, India and hosts Bangladesh gets underway at the  Bangabandhu National Stadium at 3:00 pm on Friday. 

Uzbekistan and India lock horns in the first match of the day followed by the Bangladesh-Syira match at 6:00 pm. Channel 9 will telecast both the matches live. 

In the officials pre-match presser at the BFF House on Thursday all the team coaches and captains expressed they are prepared for fierce rivalry in the field. 

Bakhtiar Ashurmatov- Coach Uzbekistan
We don’t regard us as the favourites, we have arrived here seven day before the kick-off and I hope that players have adapted the conditions, we expect very tough challenge from India, however we are ready to take the challenge, there are no injury in the team and winning the first match is very important. 

Savio Medeira- Coach India
India will fight from the very beginning and everybody is aware of the standards of Uzbekistan, regarding the preparations I can say I think we are least prepared team with only 20 days of preparation, however I have the confidence on my players and I believe they will fight to play a good brand of football. On a given day everything is possible in football. 

Lodewijk de Kruif- Coach Bangladesh
Very tough game against Syria who are one of the favourites in the group along with Uzbekistan. I'm happy that we are going to start so that we know the output of all the hard works we put in. There is no real target for us. Of course we want win and qualify. But for now most important thing is that my boys will have experience to play in that level and I hope they will play well tomorrow.

Muhannad al Fakir-Coach Syria
 “It is going to be a very difficult game because Bangladesh are a good team. They try to play fast. They are playing at their stadium in front of their people. They know this place.” said Fakir who also added that the confidence and spirit of the team is very high.