Top of the Tajiks’ minds is the very real possibility of a direct entry into the 2011 AFC Asian Cup as the winners of the AFC Challenge Cup 2008 and 2010 have two berths reserved for them in the continental showpiece.

Tajikistan came close to earning a first-ever qualification in the last edition of the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 when they suffered a heart-breaking 4-1 defeat to hosts India in the final.

And, understandably, Pulod Kodirov does not want to settle for anything less than the crown this year.

“The Tajikistan Football Federation has given us the target to qualify for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and to achieve that we will have to win this tournament,” Kodirov told www.the-afc.com.

Tajikistan failed to get the better of India in India two years ago and caved in 4-1 to Bob Houghton’s men.

“We will try to prepare better for this edition and be in our top playing condition before landing in Colombo.”

The team will have a 12-day training camp in Qatar’s capital Doha from Tuesday before flying to Colombo for the eight-nation tournament.

Kodirov has named a 21-member team for the tournament including two foreign-based players in goalkeeper Alisher Tuychiev (Metallurg, Uzbekistan) and Farkhod Vasiev (Saturn, Russia).

Tajikistan will meet Bangladesh in the opener on February 16 before taking on hosts Sri Lanka two days later. They will face Myanmar in their last Group A fixture on February 20.