The 13th edition of the SAFF football tournament kicked off on Friday, October 1, 2021. Each team will compete against the other in the group stage and the top two teams in the standings will advance to the final. Bangladesh opened their campaign with a win over Sri Lanka before drawing 1-1 with India in their following match. Team Tigers has a chance to reach the final for the first time in 16 years. Bangladesh's upcoming fixtures are crucial in terms of advancing for the title match. Let's look at how Bangladesh may reach the final of the SAFF Championship 2021.
Bangladesh's record in SAFF football tournament
Bangladesh had a strong national team set up in the early 2000s. They reached three consecutive finals in 1999, 2003, and 2005 and won the SAFF Championship in the fifth edition of the tournament in Bangladesh. They won the 2003 edition by defeating the Maldives in a penalty shootout (5-3) in the final.
Bangladesh last appeared in a SAFF Championship final in 2005, when the event was held in Pakistan for the sixth time. They were defeated 2-0 by India in the championship match. Bangladesh haven't been in a final since then, and they haven't even qualified for the semifinals in the previous four editions of the tournament.
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Despite spending more money on football development, Bangladesh's football has deteriorated over the last 10 years. They are presently ranked 189th by FIFA. Bangladesh's lowest FIFA ranking was 197 in February-May 2018.
Bangladesh's potential of reaching SAFF Football final
After a hard-fought victory over a 10-man Sri Lankan team on Friday (October 1), the Bangladesh team showcased their real potential under newly appointed coach Oscar Bruzon against India on Monday at the National Football Stadium in Malé, Maldives.
Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri scored in the 26th minute to give India a 1-0 lead. After finding the ball in the D-Box area, Chhetri blasted the ball into the top right corner of the goal post.
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Bangladesh's players showed no signs of stress after conceding the goal. They tried to carry out the plan with proper discipline on the pitch, despite going down to ten men after defender Bishwanath Ghosh was sent off in the 54th minute.
Bangladesh continued to counter-attack and equalized in the 74th minute, thanks to a superb header by Yeasin Arafat. The Bangladesh team looked really confident for the first time in a long time, and head coach Oscar Bruzon deserves special credit. The team's performance against India in the match has instilled a lot of confidence in Bangladesh's bid for a spot in the final.
Bangladesh currently have four points after two games, putting them in second place in the points table, just behind Nepal. The Nepalese national team has a perfect record so far, winning both of its first two games. On the other hand, India have one point. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are yet to open their account in the points table.
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Bangladesh have two games left in the group stage. They will face the host Maldives on Thursday (October 7) followed by Nepal on Wednesday (October 13).
Bangladesh will qualify for the final If they win at least one match and draw the other. If they do, the Bangladesh team will have 8 points in the standings. In that case, both Nepal and the Maldives must lose their games against Bangladesh. Nepal would also need to drop points against India.
If Bangladesh win its remaining matches, they won't have to rely on the outcomes of other fixtures. Bangladesh will then have 10 points, allowing them to either second or first in the points table.
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Verdict
Nepal and Bangladesh are the top two teams in the points standings as of October 4. These two sides appear to be well-balanced, and they have shown a desire to succeed in the competition. However, India remain the best team on paper, and they will surely come back strong in their next three matches. If India advance to the final, Nepal will be Bangladesh's toughest opponent for a place in the championship match. In such a scenario, Bangladesh's game against Nepal on October 13 will be a do-or-die contest for both sides. The last few group stage fixtures of the SAFF Championship 2021 will be enthralling to watch.