United News of Bangladesh

The Chinese Taipei Women's Football team to play a two-match International Football series against hosts Bangladesh women's team in next May-June window. Current SAFF Women's Champions Bangladesh will play the two-match series against Chinese Taipei as a part of their preparation for the 2024 SAFF Women's  Championship to be held in Bangladesh in October -November this year. The first match of the two series will be held on May 31 and the 2nd and last match will be held on June 3, both at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka. AFC council member and Chairperson of the BFF Committee for Women's Football Mahfuza Akter Kiron disclosed it after a committee meeting held on Tuesday  at the BFF office in Motijheel. Bangladesh women's football team will play international football after about five months after winning the two match series 2-0 against Singapore in Dhaka last December. Bangladesh beat Singapore by 3-0 goals in the first match and outplayed them by 8-0 goals in the 2nd match.

Dhaka Abahani Ltd reached the semifinal of the Bashundhara Federation Cup Football Tournament' 2023-24 eliminating  Fortis Football Club Ltd by 3-1 goal in the 4th and last quarterfinal at the Bashundhara Kings Arena here on Tuesday. Dhaka Abahani will play the 2nd semifinal against BPL champions Bashundhara Kings on May 14 while defending champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC will face Bangladesh Police FC in the first semis on May 7. The final match will be held on May 21 . In the day's match, St Vincent forward Stewart Cornelius scored first for the sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani in the 9th minute (1-0). Brazilian striker Washington Brandao doubled the margin in the added time of the first half (45+2 minute) to dominate the first session by 2-0 goal. Brazilian midfielder Jonathan Fernandes scored the 3rd goal for Abahani in the 79th minute (3-0). Jummon Nijum scored the consolation goal for Fortis FC in the added time of the match (90+7 minute) (3-1). Earlier, Dhaka Mohammedan SC beat Sheikh Russel KC 2-1,  league champions Bashundhara Kings defeated Rahmatganj MFS 2-0 while  Police FC outplayed Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 3-0 to reach semifinals of the Federation Cup Football.

 The national star studded Nasrin Sports Academy started their campaign in the UCB Women's Football League 2023-24 in style, crushing Jamalpur Kacharipara Akadesh by 19-0 goals at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Monday. In the day's lone match, Nasrin Sports Academy comfortably dominated the first half with 8-0 goals. National booters Sanjida Akter, Masura Parvin, and Sumaya Matsushima netted two goals each, while Marzia scored the other goal for Nasrin Sports Academy. After a recess on Tuesday, two 2nd round matches will be held on Wednesday (May 1) at the same venue. Uttara FC Ltd will play Dhaka Rangers FC at 5 pm while Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC will face Farashganj SC at 7:30 pm. The champions team of the nine-team fray will be awarded with Tk 5,00,000 (five lakh), while the runners up team will receive Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh). END/UNB/MMK/MB

Dhaka Abahani Limited will play Fortis Football Club Ltd in the 4th and last quarterfinal of the Bashundhara Federation Cup Football on Tuesday (Apr 30) at the Bashundhara Kings Arena here. The match will kick-off at 3 pm Earlier, defending champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC and league champions Bashundhara Kings  qualified for the semifinals of the Federation Cup Football, eliminating Sheikh Russel KC (2-1) and Rahmatganj MFS (2-0)  in their respective  quarterfinals. Bangladesh Police FC also smartly reached the semifinal, eliminating former BPL champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 3-0 goals in the 3rd quarterfinal last Tuesday. Dhaka Mohammedan SC will face Bangladesh Police FC in the first semifinal on May 7.  

 Farashganj Sporting Club made flying start in the nine-team UCB Women's Football League 2023-24 beating Uttara Football Club Ltd by 3-0  goals at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur here Sunday afternoon. Bonna Khatun scored first for the old Dhaka outfit Farashganj in the 12th minute to dominate the first half by 1-0 goal. Haimonti Khalko doubled the winning margin in the 47th minute (2-0). Bonna Khatun sealed the fate of the match scoring her 2nd and the 3rd goal for her team in the 7th minute of the added time (90+7 minute). In the day's other match under floodlight, Dhaka Rangers FC played 1-1 draw with Siraj Smrity Sangsad at the same venue Sunday night. Marufa Akter scored first for Dhaka Rangers in the 42nd minute (1-0) while Nusrat Jahan Mitu leveled the margin for Siraj Smrity Sangsad in the 58th minute (1-1) Nasrin Sports Academy will play Jamalpur Kacharipara Akadash in Monday's lone match at the same venue.

Federation Cup Champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC Limited dropped points with Bangladesh Police FC as their Bashundhara Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football 2023-24 match ended in a goalless draw at the Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh on Saturday. After the day's match, Mohammedan SC remained at the 2nd slot in the 10-team league securing 27 points while Police FC also remained at the 4th place with 18 points playing 13 matches each. Defending champions Bashundhara Kings comfortably dominated the league table securing 31 points from 12 matches while six times champions Dhaka Abahani Limited remained at the 3rd slot securing 25 points playing 13 matches. In the day's other league match, Chittagong Abahani Ltd advanced to the 6th place in the league table outplaying bottom-placed Brothers Union Club by 5-0 goals at the Muktijoddha Smrity Stadium in Rajshahi Saturday afternoon. With the day's comfortable victory, Chittagong Abahani Ltd improved their position in the league table securing 16 points while relegation- bound Brothers Union Club remained at the bottom with three points, playing 13 matches each.. In the day's match, Nigerian forward Seun Paul Komolafe struck twice in the 32nd and 90+3 minutes, local defender Nasiruddin Chowdhury, medio Riaz Uddin Sagor and Nigerian Ojukwu David Ifegwu scored one goal each for the Abahani in the 18th, 60th and 73rd minutes respectively.

Bangladesh Army SC Ltd made a good start in the UCB Women's Football League 2023-24 beating  Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC by 1-0 goal in the opening match at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur here on Saturday. In the day's opener, Sultana scored the match-winning goal for Bangladesh Army in the 38th minute (1-0). Earlier, BFF President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin Inaugurated the nine-team league, Powered by Upay, at a simple ceremony Saturday afternoon. AFC council member and Chairperson of the BFF  Committee for Women's Football  Mahfuza Akter Kiron, First Assistant Vice President, Brand Marketing and Corporate Affairs Division of the league sponsor UCB Bank Ltd Saiful Islam Khan and BFF general secretary Imran Hossain Tushar were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, the BFF president asked the women's  league committee to change match timing due to current unbearable hot temperature. Two matches will be held tomorrow (Sunday) at the same venue. As per revised schedule,  Farashganj SC will play Uttara Football Club Ltd at 5: pm in place of 9:30 am while Dhaka Rangers FC will encounter Siraj Smrity Sangsad at 7:30 pm in stead of 3:45 pm on Sunday. However,  all the nine participating teams will received  Tk 50,000 (fifty thousand) each as participation money. Besides, the champions team will be awarded with Tk 5,00,000 (five lakh) while the runners up team with Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh).

The nine-team UCB Women's Football League 2023-24, Powered by Upay, begins on Saturday (Apr 27) at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur here. Bangladesh Army SC Ltd will play Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC in the opening match,  will kick - off at 3:45 pm in Kamalapur. Two matches will be held on the following day (Sunday) at the same venue. Farashganj SC will play Uttara Football Club Ltd at 9:30 am while Dhaka Rangers FC will encounter Siraj Smrity Sangshad at 3:45 pm on the day. AFC council member and Chairperson of the BFF  Committee for Women's Football  Mahfuza Akter Kiron disclosed the details of the league at a press conference at the BFF House in Motijheel Friday afternoon. Head of Brand Marketing and Corporate Affairs Division of the league sponsor UCB Bank Ltd Abul Kalam Azad, BFF general secretary Imran Hossain Tushar and the captains & coaches of participating teams were also present on the occasion. All the nine participating teams will be given Tk 50,000 (fifty thousand) each as participation money. Besides, the champions will be awarded with Tk 5,00,000 (five lakh) while the runners up team with Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh).

Six times champions Dhaka Abahani Limited managed a hard-fought 1-0 goal victory over hosts Sheikh Russel KC in the Bashundhara Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football  2023-24 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena here Friday afternoon. Despite the day' s victory, Dhaka Abahani Limited remained at the 3rd slot in the 10-team league securing 25 points while Sheikh Russel KC remained at the 8th place with 11 points, playing 13 matches each. Defending champions Bashundhara Kings comfortably dominated the league table securing 31 points while Federation Cup champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC followed the leader distantly with 26 points playing 12 matches each, one match less than Dhaka Abahani Ltd. After barren first half in the day's match, Brazilian forward Bruno Goncalves Rocha scored the match winning goal for the sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani in the 74th minute of the match (1-0). Later, he was adjudged the best player of the match. In the day's other league match, Fortis Football Club advanced to the 5th slot in the league table beating old Dhaka outfit Rahmatganj MFS by 2-1 goals at the Bir Shreshtha Fl Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Friday. Local defender Rashedul Islam Rashed put Fortis FC ahead in the 26th minute (1-0) while Gambian striker Pa Omar doubled the Fortis FC margin in the 37th  minute (2-0). Ghana forward Samuel Mensah Konney scored the lone goal for Rahmatganj MFS in the 50th minute from a penalty (2-1) After the match, Fortis FC moved up to the 5th place securing 16 points while Rahmatganj MFS remained at the 9th slot with 10 points, playing 13 matches each.

Bangladesh will play Lebanon in their last Group I away match of their Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11 at a neutral venue—Al Saad Club Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The match between the two teams will kick-off at 7: 00 pm local time and 10: 00 pm Bangladesh time. Two war-torn Arabian nations—Palestine and Lebanon—had to play their home matches in neutral venues due to security reasons. Before the last group match, Bangladesh will play Australia in their home match on June 6 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka. On completion of four group matches each, Australia dominated the group table to qualify for the next round with an all-win record, securing a full 12 points, War-torn Palestine is in the distant second, collecting seven points with two wins, one draw, and one defeat. Lebanon are in the third slot, securing two points with two draws and two defeats, while Bangladesh remained at the bottom with one point from four matches after making a 1-1 draw with Lebanon in their home match in Dhaka. Earlier, Bangladesh suffered a 0-7 goal defeat against World Cup playing Australia in their away match, drew 1-1 with Arabian nation Lebanon in the home match, suffered a 0-5 defeat against Palestine in their away match in Kuwait, and conceded a shocking 0-1 goal defeat in the dying moment against Palestine in their home match in Dhaka.