A 34-member delegation including the playing squad of the Bangladesh national football team left the capital for the Maldives Tuesday (Sept 28)at 3: 50 pm with high hopes of clinching the title in the five-nation SAFF Championship beginning on Friday (October 1) in Male.
Bangladesh team comprises 23 booters and 11 officials.
It will be the first assignment for the newly appointed Spanish interim Head Coach of national football team Oscar Bruzon, a head coach of BPL champions Bashundhara Kings.
In the five-nation South Asian regional football, Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka in the opening match on Friday (October 1) at 5 pm (Bangladesh Time) at the national stadium in the Maldives capital Male.
In the remaining matches, Bangladesh will play India on Sept 4 at 5: pm , hosts Maldives on Sept 7 at 10 pm and Nepal on Sept 13 at 5:pm , all at the National Stadium in Male
Earlier on Monday (Sept 27) night, the interim head coach of Bangladesh national team Oscar Bruzon announced a 23-member final Bangladesh squad for the SAFF Championship to be held in Maldives from October 1-16 .
READ: Bangladesh team to leave for Maldives Tuesday in hunt for SAFF title
Four players of the preliminary squad,-- Nigerian born fresh Bangladesh citizen Eleta Kingsley, medio Manik Hossain Mollah, defenders Mohammad Atikuzzaman and Mehedi Hasan-- were dropped from the final squad.
In a pre tour press conference at BFF office on Monday, both the Bangladesh interim head coach Oscar Bruzon and team captain Jamal Bhuiyan expressed their high hope of clinching the SAFF title this time, despite the Bangladesh failed to overcome the group stages in the last four meets.
Addressing the pressmen Bangladesh captain said, "we are playing together for long, we have a good understanding, we worked hard in last few days, now we are confident and our players are committed do something giving our best to achieve the target"
Replying to a question, Jamal Bhuiyan said, as per current FIFA ranking , India is the favourite, but we treat all the opponents equally , now our first target is to beat Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh coach Oscar Bruzon is also optimistic to make his first assignment memorable by clinching the title.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh football team, toured Kyrgyzstan to play three matches-- two in the Three Nations Cup and one friendly against Kyrgyz U-23 team as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship, but lost all the three matches.
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Visiting Bangladesh conceded 0-2 goals defeat against Palestine in their first match of the Three Nations Cup.
Hosts Kyrgyzstan clinched three nations cup title with all-win record outplaying Bangladesh by 4-1 goals in their 2nd and match after beating Palestine by 1-0 goal in tournament opener.
Jamie Day's Bangladesh team completed their Kyrgyzstan tour with frustrating note losing all the three matches, after conceding a 2-3 goals defeat against Kyrgyzstan U-23 team, all at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek.
Members of Bangladesh squad (footballers) are:
Shahidul Alam Sohel, Anisur Rahman and Ashraful Islam Rana (Custodians);
Rahmat Miah, Bishwanath Ghosh, Topu Barman, Tariq Raihan Kazi , Riyadul Hasan, Yeasin Arafat, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Rezaul Karim and Mohammad Hridoy (Defenders);
Jamal Bhuiyan, Atiqur Rahman Fahad , Sohel Rana, M Saaduddin and Rakib Hossain (Midfield),
Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Mohammad Ibrahim, Matin Miah ,Jewel Rana, Biplo Ahmed and Sumon Reza (Forwards).