United News of Bangladesh

The Asia-based Romanian football coach Valeriu Tita arrived Dhaka to join as the head coach of the last five times Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football champions Bashundhara Kings, initially for the 2024-25 season The Kings President Imrul Hasan received their new head coach in the capital with bouquet. Valeriu Tita, who guided the Syrian Club Al - Ittihad Aleppo to clinch the AFC Cup title in 2010, will replace the Kings successful Spanish head coach Oscar Bruzon, who was relieved nearly a couple of month ago. The 58 years old former Romanian footballer Tita is expected take over last season's treble winners Badhundhara Kings team very soon. Tita has vast experience of coaching several Middle East and Arabian teams including head coach of Syrian national football team. He also acted as coach in the professional leagues in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait and UAE, apart from his country Romania.

Two brilliant saves by substitute goalkeeper Mohammad Asif guided Bangladesh to the final of the SAFF U-20 Championship'2024, eliminating holders India by 4-3 goals in a tiebreaker in Kathmandu on Monday. The crucial 2nd semifinal match between two neighbouring countries was locked in 1-1 goals in the stipulated 90-minute at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Monday afternoon. Asadul Mollah put the Bangladesh U-20 team ahead in the 36th minute with a nice placing shot from the danger zone, capitalising on a good left wing cross from his teammate amid huge cheers from small Bangladeshi fans (1-0).Ricky Meetei Haobom gave the lifeline for India in the 75th minute, scoring the equaliser by a ground shot from goalmouth melee (1-1). After a 1-1 draw in the schedule time, the 2nd semifinal match moved to a direct penalty shootout as per bye law, and Bangladesh won the match by two brilliant saves by substitute goalie Mohammad Asif. Asif saved the first and 5th Indian penalties as the Bangladesh booters converted all four spot kicks correctly. Bangladesh captain and number one goalkeeper Mehdi Hasan Srabon left the field with an injury in the 69th minute, while another key player, Kamacai Marma, got the marching order, receiving double yellow cards in the later part of the match, throwing Bangladesh in a difficult situation. In a post-match press briefing, head coach of the Bangladesh team, Maruful Haque, said, "Our initial target was to play in the final; we achieved it; now we expect a good final against Nepal and do hope we have a good chance to win the final beating Nepal. Earlier, Bangladesh booked a seat for the semis as the Group A runners up with three points, beating Sri Lanka 2-0 and losing to hosts Nepal by 1-2 goals. India reached the semifinals as the Group B champions with an all-win record, securing a full six points beating both Bhutan and the Maldives by 1-0 goals each.Nepal emerged as Group A champions to qualify for the semis with an all-win run, securing a full six points from straight two matches, beating Sri Lanka 1-0 apart from beating Bangladesh 2-1, and they reached the final, eliminating Bhutan by 4-1 goals in the tiebreaker in the first semifinal on Sunday.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Swedish soccer manager who spent five years as England’s first ever foreign-born coach after making his name winning trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, died Monday. He was 76. Eriksson died at home surrounded by his family, his agent Bo Gustavsson told The Associated Press. His death followed eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live. That news led to Eriksson receiving a surge of affection and tributes from his former players and clubs, a biographical documentary being made, and a visit to his favorite club Liverpool which invited him to be manager for the day at a charity game. Fondly known as “Svennis” in his native Sweden, Eriksson had a modest, nine-year playing career before retiring at the age of 27 and embarking on what proved to be a nomadic coaching career that reached its peak when he was hired by England in 2001. Eriksson led what was regarded as a “golden generation” of players, including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, at the World Cups in 2002 and 2006 and got the team to the quarterfinals at both tournaments before elimination by Brazil and Portugal, respectively. In the only other major tournament under Eriksson — the European Championship in 2004 — England was also ousted at the quarterfinal stage, again by Portugal and via a penalty shootout like at the World Cup in 2006. Eriksson’s tenure in one of world soccer’s most high-profile jobs was remembered almost as much for what happened off the field as on it. He had two affairs — one with Swedish TV personality Ulrika Jonsson and the other with a secretary at the Football Association, Faria Alam — which kept England’s gossip-hungry newspapers busy. “My private life was not very private in England,” Eriksson said in 2018. His time with England coincided with the emergence of a WAG (wives and girlfriends) culture, with the high-profile partners of the players — like Victoria Beckham — making headlines after Eriksson allowed them to come to the World Cup in Germany. Eriksson later had brief spells in charge of the Mexico, Ivory Coast and Philippines national teams but the only silverware he earned came in the club game. At Swedish team IFK Gothenburg, he won the league-and-cup double in 1982 and capped a stunning season by also capturing the now-defunct UEFA Cup. Eriksson won back-to-back Portuguese titles in an initial two-year stint with Benfica (1982-84), as well as the Portuguese Cup in 1983, and returned there to reach the European Cup final in 1990 — losing to AC Milan — and win the league again in 1991. It was in Italy where he became a major coaching name, primarily at Lazio after spells at Roma (1984-87) and Sampdoria (1992-97) — where he won Italian Cups — and Fiorentina (1987-89). At Lazio from 1997-2001, he led to the team to only its second league title — in 2000 — after a late-season collapse by Juventus, as well as two Italian Cups and the last ever edition of the European Cup Winners’ Cup (in 1999). Eriksson’s Lazio could have won Serie A in 1999, too, only to be beaten to the title by a point by AC Milan and also lost the final of the UEFA Cup in ’98. “It was the best period of my career,” Eriksson said of winning seven trophies in a four-year stretch, at a time when Italy was rivaling Spain as the Europe’s top soccer league.

Bangladesh will play their giant neighbor India in the 2nd semifinal of the SAFF U-20 Championship at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Kathmandu on Monday (Aug 26). The match will kick- off at 3pm local time. The winners will play in the final on Wednesday (August 28) at 5:30 pm against hosts Nepal, which eliminated Bhutan by 4-1 goals in tie breaker as the first semifinal between them was locked in 1-1 goals in the stipulated time Sunday afternoon. India reached the semifinal as the Group B champions with all- win record securing full six points  beating both the Bhutan and the Maldives by 1-0 goal each while Bangladesh booked a seat for the semis as the Group A runners up with three points beating Sri Lanka 2-0 and losing to hosts Nepal by 1-2 goals. Earlier, Nepal emerged Group A champions to qualify for the semis with all-win run securing full six points from straight two matches beating Sri Lanka 1-0 apart from beating Bangladesh 2-1. Meanwhile, Bangladesh team made their final  practice session ahead of the match against India at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur Sunday morning. Bangladesh coach Maruful Haque is hopeful to reach the final beating India in semifinal as he found determination and hungry for win among the Bangladeshi players. 

The Spanish Head Coach of Bangladesh National Football team Havier Cabrera on Saturday announced a 14-member partial national team to play two FIFA International friendly matches against Bhutan. The two matches will be held in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu on September 5 and 8. The practice session of the partial team will begin here on August 27 and names of the remaining nine players from the BPL champions Bashundhara Kings and the Bangladesh U-20 Football team, now in Nepal, will be announced day before the team's departure for Thimphu on August 30. A 23-member Bangladesh team will fly for Thimphu five day's ahead of the match to adjust with local height and conditions. Selected players are: Goalkeeper: Mitul Marma, Shujon Hossain and Pappu Hossain Defender: Mehdi Hasan, Rahmat Mia, Isha Faisal and Shakil Hossain. Midfielder: Mohammad Hridoy, Didarul Alam, Syed Kazem Kirmanu, Jamal Bhuyan and Jayed Ahmed. Forward: Shahiar Emon and Arman Faisal

Bangladesh completed Group A runners-up to reach the semifinal of the SAFF U-20 Championship losing to hosts Nepal by 1-2 goals at the ANFA complex in Lalitpur on Thursday. After the match, Nepal emerged Group A champions to qualify for the semis with all-win run securing full six points from straight two matches while Bangladesh finished group runners-up with three points from two matches. Bangladesh will play the semifinal on August 26 against the winners of India and the Maldives, who will meet each other in the last group B match on Friday. Bangladesh, which assured the semifinal berth earlier from the group beating Sri Lanka by 2-0 goals last Tuesday, needed just a draw against Nepal on Thursday to be the group champions, but miserably conceded two quick goals in span of only two minutes in the first half. Bangladeshi custodian Mehdi Hasan Srabon, who was standing near midfield when Bangladesh taking a corner kick, was fully responsible for conceding goal in the 16th minute. Over advanced Srabon tried to foil Nepalese counter attack in the midfield but failed and Nepalese forward Samir Tamang did not face any trouble to score the first goal beating Bangladesh custodian (1-0). Two minutes later, Niranjan Dhami doubled the Nepalese margin (2-0) by a good shot giving no chance to Srabon. After conceding two quick goals, Bangladesh coach Maruful Haque made two chances in their line up and later took its fruit. Mirajul reduced the Bangladesh margin scoring a goal in the 43rd minute from a penalty (2-1) but finally failed to change the fate of the match. In the 2nd half, both the teams tried their best to score goal but failed.

Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb is having surgery on Friday after breaking his leg in training and is set to be out for three-to-four months, manager Pep Guardiola said. “We are so sad for him,” Guardiola said of the 21-year-old Norway international, who was expected to start the season in the team on the right wing. “Not because of his incredible pre-season, that doesn’t matter, but because any time there is a long injury.” City opens its Premier League campaign against Chelsea on Sunday. Bobb impressed during the preseason tour of the United States and played nearly the whole match in City’s penalty-shootout win over Manchester United in the Community Shield on Saturday. Guardiola said defensive midfielder Rodri would not be involved against Chelsea after returning late to preseason training after the European Championship. Guardiola also said Kalvin Phillips, another midfielder, was close to joining Ipswich on loan.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has signed a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2027. The Portugal midfielder has been a key figure for the Red Devils since his arrival in January 2020, scoring 79 goals in his 234 appearances. Argentina shakes off chaos of Morocco game by beating Iraq 3-1. Spain reaches Olympic quarterfinals United announced the new deal, which includes an option for a further year, on Wednesday. It comes after speculation at the end of last season that Fernandes could leave the club this summer. “Everybody knows the passion I have for Manchester United," the 29-year-old Fernandes said. “I understand the responsibility and significance of wearing this shirt, and the levels of dedication and desire required to represent this incredible club. “I have had so many special moments here already ... But I wouldn’t have signed this contract if I didn’t believe that my best moments in a United shirt are still to come." Birthday boy Lamine Yamal wins Euro 2024 and best young player award Fernandes’ new deal is a further boost to Erik ten Hag’s team following the summer arrivals of Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui as it looks to build on last season’s FA Cup win and improve on an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.

Amid the demand for resignation, President of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin cleared his stance saying that he won’t step down from his position in the BFF under any pressure. A group of football fans has been demanding his resignation since Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amid the student-led upsurge. The former national football star and also the SAFF President Salahuddin wants to compete in the next BFF election for the 5th term scheduled for October 26 this year. Regarding the issue, Salahuddin told local media that, " I am not resigning; but I will contest the election again because I will not leave football in the face of any threats." "I’m not an ordinary person. I have a long football background, having represented and captained the national team. I’m 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. Football fans group, the Bangladesh Football Ultras demanded the resignation of Salahuddin, the federation’s Senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy and BFF EC member and chairman of BFF Women's Football Committee Mahfuza Akter Kiran last Sunday. A good number of the Ultras members had gathered at the BFF House on that day and chanted slogans demanding resignation of top BFF officials-- Salahuddin Salam and Kiran --criticising their autocratic role and organisational failure. However, senior vice president Salam Murshedy, also a former parliament member from Khulna -4 constituency, has already resigned from his post.

Four Bangladeshi national women's footballers left Dhaka for Bhutan on Monday.  morning to play for the Bhutanese Club—Royal Thimphu College SC—in the First AFC Women's Club Championship League.  No Bangladeshi club is participating in the prestigious Asian Women's League. The players are : national captain Sabina Khatun, vice captain Maria Manda, Monika Chakma, and Ritu Porna Chakma. The Royal Thimphu College SC put in Group D of the Asian Women's Club meet along with Bam Khatoon FC of Iran and Kitchee Sports Club of Hong Kong. The Royal Thimphu CSC will play Iranian Professional Club Bam Khatoon on August 25 and will face Kitchee SC on August 28. Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) released the four booters for Bhutanese Club till August 31.