Bangladesh has not performed well in football, even though it is one of the most loved sports in the country. But recently, the national football team started to improve their performance.
In 2023, Bangladesh participated in many competitive matches, including the SAFF championship, and Asian Games along with the qualifier games for FIFA World Cup 2026 and Asia Cup 2027.
Here is an analysis of the Bangladesh men’s football team’s performance in the year 2023.
2023 Matches by Bangladesh Men’s Football Team
The Bangladesh Football Team was impressive throughout the year 2023. It played 13 International matches and also secured victories against teams that rank higher than Bangladesh.
Performance Of Bangladesh Men’s Football Squad In 2023
Bangladesh vs Seychelles (2 Matches At Home)
Bangladesh began their FIFA International Tier-1 matches, playing a two-match series against Seychelles in Bangladesh, starting on March 25 at 3:45 pm local time at the Sylhet District Stadium.
In the first match, Bangladeshi defender Tariq Raihan Kazi scored the winning goal in the 43rd minute (1-0). It was also his first goal for the national team.
On March 28, at Sylhet District Stadium, Seychelles surprised hosts Bangladesh with a 1-0 victory in the 2nd match.
The win was secured via Michael's penalty kick in the 62nd minute. Bangladesh won the opening game 1-0, and the series finished 1-1.
Read more: Bangladesh Men’s Test Cricket in 2023: Performance Analysis
Bangladesh Vs Cambodia International Match (Away)
On June 15, Bangladesh defeated the host Cambodia by a close 1-0 margin in a thrilling FIFA Tier-1 International Friendly game played at the Olympics Stadium in Phnom Penh.
The game-winning goal for Bangladesh was scored in the 24th minute by Mojibur Rahman Jony. Jony's effort came from the danger zone and he took advantage of a precise cross from Foysal Ahmed Fahim.
Anisur Rahman Zico, showed his skill by blocking at least three noteworthy tries by the opposition. Cambodia dominated attacking football, but they couldn't find the back of the net.
SAFF Championship 2023
The 14th edition of the SAFF Championship, South Asia's largest soccer festival, was held from June 21 to July 4 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, India.
1st Match Against Lebanon
Bangladesh were placed in Group B of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, alongside Lebanon, Maldives, and Bhutan.
Bangladesh opened their campaign against Lebanon on June 22 at the same location. Losing the match by 2-0, Bangladesh remained in the game until the 80th minute, when Tariq Kazi's error allowed Lebanon's Hassan Maatouk to score the game's first goal.
In the 96th minute, with Bangladesh looking for an equalizer, Khalil Bader scored a goal on a counter-attack to give Lebanon their second goal and put the victory beyond doubt.
2nd Match Against Maldives
Bangladesh played their second group stage match against Maldives on June 25 at the same location. In the 17th minute, Maldives's Hamza Mohamed claimed the first goal.
But, at the stroke of the half time, Rakib Hossain equalized with a goal. The striker headed the ball inside the net to secure the equalizer with an empty net in front of him.
Bangladesh took the lead in the 67th minute thanks to a header from Tariq Qazi. Bangladesh sealed the match 3-1 thanks to a goal by Sheikh Morsalin in the 90th minute, which also helped them qualify for the tournament.
Read more: Bangladesh Cricket in 2023: Men’s ODI Series- Performance Analysis
3rd Match Against Bhutan
Bangladesh played their final match against Bhutan on June 28. Bangladesh qualified for the semi-final, beating Bhutan 3-1. Bhutan was in the lead, scoring a goal early in the match by Tsenda Dorji.
Sheikh Morsalin and Rakib Hossain scored a goal each, on top of that, Phuntsho Jigme scored an own goal, which affected Bhutan, ending the match with a loss.
Shekh Morsalin was judged man of the match for his excellent performance, also scoring his second International goal after his debut.
