United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Under -17 Football team will fly for Bhutan Wednesday morning at 9 :10 am to participate in the six-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship'2024 beginning in Thimphu on Friday (Sept 20). Bangladesh put in strong Group A with India and the Maldives while Group B team consists of Nepal, Pakistan and hosts Bhutan. Bangladesh will play their giant neighbor India in the opening match on Friday at 6 pm at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital. In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will face the Maldives on Sunday (Sept 22) at the same time and same venue. Group A champions will play Group B runners up in the first semifinal at 2 pm while Group B champions will face Group A runners up at 6 pm in the other semifinal, both on Sept 28. The final match will be held on Sept 30 at 6pm.

The longest serving president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin finally decided not to contest in the upcoming BFF election slated for October 26. Former celebrated footballer Kazi Salahuddin, who acted as BFF president for an uninterrupted period of 16 years since 2008, made this announcement at a hurried arranged press conference at the BFF House Saturday afternoon.  Kazi Salahuddin, also the president of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), on his decision to step down from the hot seat of BFF said, " I have served BFF for four consecutive terms, I considered myself enough lucky to get the opportunity, now have decided not contest in the next month's BFF election, this is my final decision, I want to thank everyone for working with me over past 16 years". However, Salahuddin did not elaborate on the reasons for his stepping down. Sources said, family pressure played the key role of his fresh decision. After the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, Football supporters forum "Ultras"  demanded the resignation of Kazi Salahuddin and held demonstrations in front of the BFF house giving him an ultimatum to resign. Defying their demand, Kazi Salahuddin on August 13 said he would not resign, rather will contest in the BFF election again to serve a fifth term'. "I am not an ordinary person. I have a long football background, having represented and captained the national team. I am also a freedom fighter and have received national sports awards, the independence award, the liberation award, and the Sheikh Kamal Lifetime Achievement Award during the regimes of Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad, Khaleda Zia, and the Awami League. I will leave football on my terms, not due to threats," he added  "If they are so popular, they should run in the ensuing elections themselves. Why are they so concerned about me? If I am a failure organiser, the councillors would not vote for me. I was first elected BFF president against Awami League organisers," he claimed.

Real Madrid will temporarily stop holding concerts at its renovated Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after neighbors complained about the loud noise, the Spanish club said late Friday. Madrid said that three concerts by Spanish pop artists will be pushed back from November to December, while the South Korean music show Music Bank scheduled for Oct. 12 has been canceled. The decision came after several local media reports of residents who live near the stadium complaining about the noise that reached their homes during concerts. The club said in a statement that “this decision forms part of a group of measures taken by the club to ensure that the municipal regulations are strictly complied with during concerts.”

A TV cameraman said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez “slapped me” after Colombia's 2-1 win in a World Cup qualifying match. Jhonny Jackson told Colombian media he approached Martínez after the final whistle in Barranquilla on Tuesday as the goalkeeper greeted another player. Footage he captured shows the World Cup winner who Argentines know as Dibu hitting the camera, which quickly shakes to the ground after the impact. “Out of the blue he slapped me,” Jackson told RCN Deportes on Wednesday. “I felt angry, very angry. I was working, just like he was. He was playing and I was shooting with my camera." He also sent a message to Martínez: “Dibu, my brother, how are you? I am Jhonny Jackson, the cameraman you assaulted in the match against Colombia. I wanted to tell you it is all good, my brother. Everyone has lost a match in their life. This defeat clearly meant a lot to you. But look ahead, Dibu.” Jackson works for a company that delivers footage to channels Caracol Televisión and RCN Deportes. Footballers have been suspended from games in similar situations, and that is what Colombia's association of sports journalists — known as ACORD — wants FIFA to do. Its president Faiver Hoyos Hernández said in a statement that Martínez attacked freedom of expression. “As the journalistic authority in this country, ACORD wants FIFA to produce an exemplary sanction against Mr. Emiliano Dibú Martínez, who is no role model for new generations," the statement said. Martínez and South American soccer body CONMEBOL did not make comments. Argentina leads the South American World Cup qualifying with 18 points after eight matches, two points ahead of Colombia. All teams have two more qualifying matches next month. The top six teams will get automatic spots at the 2026 World Cup.

Two South American soccer powerhouses lost in World Cup qualifying Tuesday in the absence of their biggest stars, with Lionel Messi missing Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Colombia and Neymar still on the sidelines for Brazil’s upset defeat in Paraguay. James Rodríguez scored from the penalty spot and had an assist to help Colombia edge defending champion Argentina 2-1 in Barranquilla. Diego Gómez netted the winner for Paraguay in a 1-0 victory over Brazil at Asunción. Both Argentina and Brazil struggled without their injured stars, with the replacements for Messi and Neymar unable to deliver away wins for their teams. Yerson Mosquera opened the scoring for Colombia with a close-range header in the 25th minute but Argentina equalized in the 48th after Nico Gonzalez intercepted a Rodríguez pass. Rodríguez made amends on the hour with his penalty, awarded after a video review, securing the win at the Metropolitano Stadium. Gómez scored for Paraguay from the edge of the box, with the ball deflecting in off goalkeeper Alisson's right post. Brazil had few opportunities to equalize, and gave coach Dorival Júnior his first defeat since taking over in January. In other games Tuesday, Bolivia upset Chile 2-1 at Santiago, Ecuador beat Peru 1-0, and Venezuela drew 0-0 with Uruguay. Argentina leads the round-robin competition with 18 points after eight matches, two points clear of Colombia. Uruguay is in third position with 15 points, followed by Ecuador with 14. Brazil is in fifth with 10. All teams have two more qualifying matches next month. The top six teams in South American qualifying will get automatic spots at the 2026 World Cup. COLOMBIA 2-1 ARGENTINA The 2022 World Cup winners also lifted the Copa America trophy in July after a 1-0 overtime victory over Colombia. The Colombians seemed to have that match on their minds as they found a way to beat Arrgentina for the first time since 2019. “It is a great win against an Argentina team that has won it all," Rodríguez said. “The weather was tough, it was so hot, but we had an excellent match. It is a fair win.” Colombia once again had the 33-year-old Rodríguez to thank after he gave a perfect cross for Mosquera's opening header. That equalized Carlos Valderrama's record of 11 assists in South American World Cup qualifying. When he fired past Dibu Martínez, a prolific penalty stopper, in the 60th minute, Rodríguez equalized Falcao García's mark of 13 goals in World Cup qualifying. Argentina's strikers Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez failed to offer as much danger as they do when veteran Messi is there to create opportunities for them. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the heat had an impact on the match. “The heat is the same for both, but it is evident that there were not good conditions for us to see a spectacle," the coach said. PARAGUAY 1-0 BRAZIL Brazil's coach, usually reserved in front of the media, told a news conference on Monday that his team will be in the next World Cup final. The defeat at Paraguay suggested he is still miles away from delivering on that promise. His idea of starting against a defensively sound Paraguay team with a trio of Real Madrid strikers __ Vinicius Júnior, Endrick and Rodrygo __ clearly failed. Midfielder Lucas Moura said “the game was over” as soon as the hosts opened the scoring in the 20th minute. “They already came to defend, even more so after they scored,” substitute Moura said. Defender Marquinhos said Brazil's squad doesn't have “the usual confidence” in recent times. “We are trying to find the best way to play," he said. “There are many pieces being changed.” Paraguay collected a historic win that keeps the team in contention for a spot in the next World Cup. The squad assembled by new coach Gustavo Alfaro seemed doomed to miss out in 2026 until it held Uruguay to a draw last week and then upset Brazil.  

An added time goal by substitute booter Wangchuk Kinga helps hosts Bhutan to beat Bangladesh by 1-0 goal in the 2nd match to level two match FIFA International Friendly Series 1-1 at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu Sunday evening. Earlier on last Thursday, Bangladesh took 1-0 lead in the two-match FIFA International Friendly Series beating Bhutan by 1-0 goal in the first match featuring a goal by Sheikh Morsalin in the 6th minute. This was the 2nd defeat for Bangladesh in their 16 international meetings with Himalayan nation Bhutan after eight years and incidentally both at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu. Bangladesh suffered their first defeat against Bhutan by 1-3 goals in a pre-qualifier match of the Asian Cup held in Thimphu in October, 2016 that deprived Bangladesh from playing FIFA and AFC matches for the 17 months. However, the FIFA ranked 184th Bangladesh, are in the upper hand against FIFA ranked 182nd Bhutan by winning 12 matches out of 16 and the remaining two matches between them ended in draw. When the day's match were almost heading for a goalless draw after stipulated 90-minute, then substitute forward Wangchuk Kinga came to rescue Bhutan scoring the match-winner in the first minute of the added time (90+1 minute) by a placing shot from close, utilizing a right wing cross of his team mate (1-0). Bangladeshi booters protested the goal, demanding an offside but the referee blew his whistle for the goal. A good number of Bangladeshi fans gathered at the stadium carrying the national flag to encourage the team, but the Bangladesh team failed to fulfill their expectations. In the day's match, Bhutan made two to three good attempts toward Bangladesh territory but failed to take its fruit while Bangladesh played an average football against Bhutan and failed to manage good opportunities throughout the match. Captain Jamal Bhuyan was not included in the day' s best eleven like the first match, defender Bishwanath Ghose not considered for day'd match while forward Rakib Hossain also missed the day's match due to injury. Bangladesh team ( First Eleven): Mitul Marma, Isa Faysal, Md. Saaduddin, Topu Barman, Shakil Hossain, Mohammad Hridoy, Sohel Rana (captain), Md Sohel Rana, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Shahriar Emon and Sheikh Morsalin.

Touring Bangladesh to play hosts Bhutan in the 2nd and last match of the two match FIFA International Friendly Series on Sunday (Sept 8) in a hope to win the series 2-0. The match will kick-off at 6 pm local time at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu. Bangladesh took the lead in the two-match series 1-0 beating Himalayan nation Bhutan by 1-0 goal in the first match last Thursday, featuring a goal by Sheikh Morsalin in the 6th minute. This was the 12th win for FIFA ranked 184th Bangladesh against FIFA ranked 182nd Bhutan in their 15 international meetings. Bangladesh drew two matches and lost one against Bhutan by 1-3 goals in a pre-qualifier match of the Asian Cup held in Thimphu in October, 2016 and were deprived of playing FIFA and AFC matches for the next 17 months. Ahead of the Sunday's vital match, Bangladesh team made their final practice session at the match venue--Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu--on Saturday from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. During the day' s training session, Assistant Coach of Bangladesh team Hasan Al Mamun said, "We have an good idea about Bhutanese team after playing one match, and accordingly we worked on our strategy against them, I think our team will play a better match tomorrow to win the match overcoming previous lapses." "Basically We came here to improve our FIFA ranking playing with the same standard teams and we prepared ourselves to achieve our target," he added. Bangladeshi premier striker Rakib Hossain will miss Sunday's match due to injury.

Without injured Lionel Messi and the retired Ángel Di María, Argentina eased past Chile 3-0 on Thursday to remain on top of the South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 48, Julián Álvarez added a goal in the 84th and Paulo Dybala capped the scoring in the 90th for the Argentinians, who have 18 points after the first seven rounds. The top six teams in the South American standings will qualify for the World Cup which will be played in the United States, México and Canada in 2026, The team that finishes seventh will advance to a playoff against another confederation. After winning the Copa America in the United States, Argentina overcame the absence of the 37-year-old Messi, who suffered a right ankle injury in the final against Colombia. His future playing status remains uncertain. Di María, who has retired from the national team, was honored by fans and his teammates before the match was played at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 37-year-old Di María played his last match with Argentina in the 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final. He was a national team member for Argentina for 16 years. The team later paraded its Copa America trophy around the ground. Earlier, Bolivia took advantage of a higher altitude at its new host city and defeated Venezuela 4-0 to record its second win in four matches at home. Ramiro Vaca opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Carmelo Algarañaz converted a penalty kick in the 45th, Miguel Terceros in the 46th and Enzo Monteiro scored in the 89th. The Bolivians used to play in the capital La Paz at 3,640 meters (11,940 feet) above sea level, but the South American soccer body CONMEBOL allowed them to move their games to El Alto, the second largest city in the country at an altitude of 4,150 meters (13,615 feet).

Promising striker Sheikh Morsalin helps Bangladesh to beat hosts Bhutan by 1-0 goal in the first match of the two-match FIFA International Friendlies Series at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu Thursday evening. With the day's feat, FiFA international ranked 184th Bangladesh took 1-0 lead against their superior and FIFA ranked 182nd Bhutan in the two-match FIFA International series. The 2nd and last FIFA International Friendly match between two teams will be held on Sunday ( Sept 8) at the same time and same venue. In the day's match, promising striker Sheikh Morsalin put Bangladesh ahead in the very 6th minute by a cool push from handshake distance when a right wing cross of Rakib Hossain came his way slipping from the grip of Bhutanese custodian (1-0). Morsalin also has the experience of scoring goal against Bhutan. After the match, Sheikh Morsalin said, "we played a very good match (today) to win the game following  the instruction of our head coach.".  "I am very happy to score the goal, assist by Rakib Bhai, we overcame the first match successfully and looking forward also to play good football in the next match" he added. Bangladesh captain cum midfielder Jamal Bhuyan was not included in the day's best eleven and  defender Topu Barman given the captaincy in the the day's match. Bangladeshi famed forward Rakib Hossain left the field with injury and Shahriar Emon replaced him in the match. Bangladesh team, which reached the Bhutanese capital last Friday,  started their preparations in Thimphu with first-ever mountain hiking near Buddha point in Thimphu Saturday morning. They made their gym session at the team hotel Sunday morning,  first on field practice session at the artificial turf of the  Changjiji Stadium Sunday afternoon and prepared themselves at the match venue-- Changlimithang Stadium on Monday afternoon. Bangladesh team also made their  practice sessions at match venue--- Changlimithang Stadium-- in Thimphu on Monday and Tuesday. Bangladesh team first eleven : Mitul Marma, Topu Barman, Shakil Hossain, Bishwanath Ghosh, Saaduddin, Sohel Rana, Md Sohel Rana, Mohammad Hridoy, Faysal Ahmed Fahim, Sheikh Morsalin (Mojibur Rahman Jony) and Rakib Hossain (Shahriar Emon)

The Bangladesh National Football team will play hosts Bhutan in the first match of the two-match FIFA International Friendlies Series on Thursday (Sept 5). The match will kick-off at 6:00 pm local time at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu. The second and last FIFA International Friendly match between two teams will be held on Sunday (September 8) at the same time and same venue. Ahead of Thursday's match, the touring Bangladesh Football team is passing busy time in Thimphu on Wednesday. After addressing the pre-match official press conference at the Changlimithang Stadium premises Wednesday afternoon, the Bangladesh team made their final practice session at the same stadium Wednesday evening from 6 pm. Addressing the pre-match press conference, the Spanish head coach of Bangladesh, Javier Cabrera, said, "We are comfortable here with local facilities and good hospitality, although we have some challenges, we came here to win " Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan said, "We have good practices here, we are ready to face Bhutan and expecting two tough and good matches (with Bhutan).". The head coach of Bhutanese team Autsushi Nakamura and Bhutanese captain Nima Wangdi also spoke on the occasion. The Bangladesh team, which reached the Bhutanese capital Friday afternoon, started their preparations in Thimphu with first-ever mountain hiking for about two hours near Buddha point in Thimphu Saturday morning. They made their gym session at the team hotel Sunday morning, their first on field practice session at the artificial turf of Changjiji Stadium Sunday afternoon, and prepared themselves at the match venue, Changlimithang Stadium, on Monday afternoon.   The Bangladesh team also made their second consecutive practice session at the match venue, Changlimithang Stadium, in Thimphu on Tuesday afternoon. Footballers of Bangladesh team: goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Shujon Hossain, and Pappu Hossain Defender: Topu Barman, Bishwanath Ghosh, Md Saaduddin, Mehdi Hasan, Rahmat Mia, and Isha Faysal Shakil Hossain and Shakil Ahad Topu. Midfielder : Sohel Rana, Mohammad Hridoy, Jamal Bhuyan, Md Sohel Rana, Mirajul Islam, Chandan Roy and Mojibur Rahman Rony Forward: Rakib Hossain, Shekh Morsalin, Faysal Ahmed Fahim, Shahiar Emon, and Rabby Hossain Rahul.