Dhaka, Sept 19 (UNB)– Bangladesh Under-18 Men's Football team concluded their practice Thursday morning in Kathmandu ahead of the SAFF Under-18 Championship’2019 campaign against Sri Lanka on Saturday at APF Stadium.

In a pre-tournament press conference on Thursday in Kathmandu, Bangladesh Head Coach Andrew Peter Turner said, “We are prepared, we have 5 to 6 weeks preparation for the meet, our booters are physically and tactically fit. Now, they are ready to play, we are looking forward for the matches.” 

Asking about the local weather, Bangladesh coach said, “local weather is different, but our players are enjoying it, we have practiced here for two days, our players are enjoying the humidity here.” 

SAFF runners-up Bangladesh team put in the three-team Group B along with India and Sri Lanka while Group A comprises of defending champions and hosts Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Pakistan.

In the remaining group match, Bangladesh team will play their giant neighbor India on September 25.

Top two teams from each group will play in the semifinals on September 27 while the final match scheduled for September 29 at APF Stadium.

Earlier, a 30-member Bangladesh Under-18 Men's Football team, comprises of 23 booters and seven officials, reached the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Wednesday morning to participate in the meet that will begin on Friday.

Bangladesh is going to participate for the third time in the SAFF U-18 Championships, which was previously known as SAFF U-19 Championship.

Bangladesh Squad: Md Mohiuddin, Mitul Marma, Shanto Kumer Ray, Yeasin Arafat, Uttam Chandra Roy, Sadekujaman Fahim, Md Emon Khan, Kazi Rahad Mia, Rakibul Islam, Tnabir Hossain, Md Ridoy, Fahim Morshed, Omar Faruq Mithu, Md Emon Ali, Md Sagor Hossain, Dipok Roy, Md Jamir Uddin, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Samrat Ahmed, Naiyem Hossain, Nihat Jaman Ucchash, Maraz Hossain, Amir Khan Bappi.

Dhaka, Sept 19 (UNB)- Group A champions Brothers Union Club to play Group C runners-up Bashundhara Kings in the first quarter-final of the Walton Under-18 Football Tournament on Friday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here.   

The match will begin at 5 pm.

Brothers Union Club emerged Group A champion beating Muktijoddha Sangshad KC by 3-1 goals and Chattogram Abahani Ltd by 2-1 goals. 

On the other hand, Bashundhara Kings crushed Dhaka Mohammedan SC by 3-0 goals after playing a goalless draw against Dhaka Abahnai Ltd last Saturday. 

In the remaining quarter-final matches, Arambagh KS will play NoFel SC on Saturday, Dhaka Abahani to play Chattogram Abahani on Sunday and Saif SC to take on Sheikh Jamal DC on Monday. 

The two semi-finals will be held on September 26 and 27 while final will commence on September 30. 

Dhaka, Sep 19 (UNB)- Bangladesh Under-16 Football team will take on Bhutan in their second group match of the ongoing AFC U-16 Championship’2020 Qualifiers at Aspire Dome Indoor Stadium in Doha on Friday (Sept 20). 

The match will kick-off at 7 pm (BdST). 

Bangladesh, which was put in Group E of the AFC junior meet along with Qatar, Yemen and Bhutan, will play Yemen in their remaining match on Sunday (Sept 22) at 7 pm (BdST) at the same venue. 

Bangladesh started their campaign conceding a 0-2 goal defeat against hosts Qatar in their first match Thursday night in Doha. 

After the barren first half, forwards Rashid Abdulaziz Al-Abdulla and Abdulrahman Al-Dosari scored one goal each for the hosts in the 58th and 89th minutes respectively. 

In the day's other match, Yemen was crushed Bhutan by 10-1 goal at the same venue. 

Earlier, a 31-member Bangladesh U-16 Football Team consisting of 23 booters and 8 officials reached Qatar capital Doha Monday evening to participate in the AFC junior meet. 

Bangladesh squad (Players): Md Mehedi Hasan, Rafsun Jamy Mim, Mehdi Hasan Srabon, Al Mirad, Apurbo Mali, JonySikder, Mohammad Azizul Hoque Ananto, Md Pias Ahmmed Nova, Md Emon Islam Babu, Sirajul Islam Rana, Sajed Hasan Jummon Nijum, Sayed Nayeem Ahmed, Kazirul Islam Hridoy, Md Rajib Hossain, Hafizur Rahman Tushar, Md Rabiul Alam, Md Ali Shakib, Saiful Islam Sumon, Asadul Molla, Siful Islam Saeed, Tauhidul Islam Sifat, Sabbir Ahamed Moni and Moniul Islam Moni.  

Paris, Sept 19 (AP/UNB) — With two first-half goals from Angel Di Maria and a rare late strike from right-back Thomas Meunier, a new-look Paris Saint-Germain missing its headline stars brushed aside a flat Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League to go top of Group A in an impressive start to its European campaign on Wednesday.

Di Maria, a Champions League winner with Madrid in 2014, was rampant against his former club, using phenomenal speed and clever placing to torment a Madrid defense sorely missing the suspended Sergio Ramos.

The Argentine's first goal poked past Thibaut Courtois' near post in the 14th minute was his 25th in 100 European matches.

Some of PSG's new recruits were instrumental in the victory. Idrissa Gueye, bought from Everton, bossed the midfield.

Di Maria's opener originated with Mauro Icardi, a late loan-signing from Inter Milan. He linked up smartly with left-back Juan Bernat, who then found Di Maria in space in the box with a swift cut-back pass.

Di Maria doubled the advantage when he struck again in the 33rd minute, found this time by Gueye.

Di Maria caressed a pinpoint shot with his left foot from long range past the outstretched Courtois and celebrated enthusiastically as Paris fans lit red flares.

Gareth Bale thought he'd got a goal back moments later with a sweet volley over former Madrid teammate Keylor Navas, bought by Paris to provide added assurance behind the suffocating PSG defense that snuffed out Madrid at the Parc des Princes.

But referee Anthony Taylor spotted on video replay that the Wales winger had touched the ball with his right arm as he juggled it from his left foot to his right one before shooting.

Meunier's goal in second-half injury time was only his sixth in 48 European matches. Bernat's pass set up the strike. Up in the posh seats, the suspended Neymar and Mbappe, recovering from injury, chuckled together at the sight of the full-backs combining to score. Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane scowled.

Zidane lamented the lack of urgency from his side that had zero shots on target other than Bale's disallowed goal and another disallowed for offside in the second half.

"It was a weird sensation," he said, speaking through a translator. "We hardly ever got into the match."

Zidane refrained from singling out any player, saying "it's everybody's fault when we lose."

But James Rodriguez, back from Bayern Munich, was particularly ineffective. And Eden Hazard, bought from Chelsea, looked ring-rusty as he makes his way back from injury. A trademark dribble in the PSG area in the second half ended with Hazard tripping over himself and landing on his backside.

Zidane replaced them both with 20 minutes to play.

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel, on the other hand, had no problem singling out Gueye for praise. He clicked with Marco Verratti and the deeper-lying Marquinhos in the PSG midfield that purred as if they'd played together for years.

"He's a machine. He never stops, never stops running," Tuchel said. "Against a team like Madrid, that is super-important."

Tuchel suggested the absence of Neymar, Mbappe and PSG's record scorer Edinson Cavani, also recovering from injury, may have been a help rather than a hindrance.

Without them, outside observers figured PSG was unlikely to win, and that eased pressure on Tuchel's other players, the coach said.

When Neymar has served out the rest of his two-match ban, and Mbappe and Cavani are fit again, expectations will quickly rise in the wake of this humbling of Madrid that showed the strength in depth of PSG's expensively assembled team.

But PSG knows from bitter experience how hard the road will become in the Champions League, having failed to get beyond the quarterfinals since the club's wealthy Qatari owners took over in 2011.

Tuchel was eager to tamp down any buzz.

"If someone asks me if we are going to win the Champions League, I'm leaving," he said.

Narail, Sept 18 (UNB) – The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa National Gold Cup Under-17 Football Tournaments started here on Wednesday. 

Deputy Commissioner of Narail Anjuman Ara inaugurated the two-day meet at the Bir Shreshtha Nur Mohammad Stadium.

Three upzilas of Narail and Narail Municipality were taking part in both the competitions.