under him they even failed to advance from the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers, a tournament held to assist lower ranked teams. Bangladesh played their first four games of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Australia and Jordan, losing all of the matches apart from their home game against Tajikistan where they drew 1–1. These results lead to De Kruif being sacked, in September 2015. In March 2016, Bangladesh ended their 2018 World Cup Qualifying run with an 8–0 defeat at the hands of a Jordan team managed by Harry Redknapp. On 29 June 2016, the BFF appointed Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, initially on a short-term contract to guide the national team during the AFC Asia Cup 2019 qualification playoff round 2 matches against Bhutan. Coach Saintfiet called up the veteran striking pair of Jahid Hasan Ameli and Enamul Haque for the encounter, but to no avail. Following a 0–0 draw in the first leg in Dhaka, Bhutan inflicted a 3–1 defeat on Bangladesh at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu during the second leg. The results meant Bangladesh would not be a part of any AFC and FIFA tournaments for the following two years, until the launching of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers. By February 2018, Bangladesh plummeted to 197 in FIFA World Rankings, the country's lowest ranking to date. On May 2018, Jamie Day took charge of the team. Although the team was a let down during the 2018 SAFF Championship, Bangladesh advanced to the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers when they defeated Laos 1–0 on aggregate. In the next round, they were grouped together with neighbors India and Afghanistan, alongside Asian powerhouses Qatar and Oman. The team managed to earn well deserved draws against India and Afghanistan, and although they suffered some heavy defeats in the following games, Bangladesh reached the third round of 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, as one of the three best fifth-positioned teams. In September 2021, after five consecutive defeats, Day was sacked, just before the 2021 SAFF Championship got underway. However, interim coach Óscar Bruzón, was not able to change the country's fate, as Bangladesh yet again underwhelmed at the tournament. Javier Cabrera (2022–) On 8 January 2022, the BFF appointed Javier Cabrera as the permanent head coach of Bangladesh, on an 11-month contract. Under Cabrera Bangladesh crashed out of the