“I remember when we were in Sri Lanka, there was so much publicity on the game and many reported that Bhutan were not worth playing against or shouldn’t even be considered to play against. That gave us an extra boost because we wanted to prove to the world that we can play football.

“After we shocked the world by beating them and when we came back for the return leg, the stadium was packed and you could see people climbing trees just to watch the game. It was a very different experience for us."

Thursday's match will be streamed on mycujoo.tv with the tie kicking off at 18:00 Bhutan time (UTC +6).

“Now people expect more from us and even if we don’t win, they expect us to put on our best performance. I haven’t reminded the team about that victory but everyone knows about it. The younger players know that the win changed football in the country and they know that they can do the same tomorrow,” said Tshering.

Bhutan will once again rely on star striker Chencho Gyeltshen, the country’s leading goal scorer who plays for Bengaluru FC, to help the fairly young team against Guam, who have a mixture of footballers playing and training in the United States.

“Preparations have been good and it was important because we have such a young team. We haven’t had a home game in quite a while and everyone is excited. The team is young but they’ve showed that they are ready to perform. More importantly they are very focused.

“When we beat Sri Lanka, we were guaranteed eight extra games to play in and it will be the same if we can beat Guam. Football in the country changed tremendously since that win. You can see that a lot of parents are asking their children to play the sport now.

“The implications of a victory is more than anything for us, it will increase interest and definitely help with football development,” added Tshering.

Victory, however, won't be easily achieved as Guam too are aiming for a place in the second round of the Qualifiers.

Head coach Karl Dodd has prepared the squad well and Guam are set to test Bhutan's resolve.

“Selection is based on the best performing players that are willing to wear the shirt with pride, deliver the tactics set out, and be willing to work harder than their opponent," said Dodd to the Guam Football Association website.

Bhutan v Guam
Venue: Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu
Kick-off: June 6, 18:00 (UTC +6)

Photos: Bhutan Football Federation, Guam Football Association