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. 

Bangladesh will face Australia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second-round qualifier. The match will take place on November 16 at 3 pm Bangladesh time. Australia will host the match in Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, and Bangladesh will host the second leg of this match. Preview of BAN vs. AUS FIFA World Cup 2026 Second Round Qualifiers Bangladesh beat Maldives to confirm their placement in the second-round qualifier of World Cup selection. In this phase of the World Cup qualifiers, Bangladesh will have the opportunity to play 6 home and away matches. The World Cup qualifiers start this month which will last more than a year and a half. Bangladesh advanced to the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers after defeating the Maldives in the first round by a margin of 3-2 in two matches. Now, they’re moving on to the second round, where 36 teams are divided into 9 groups. Bangladesh is in Group I with Australia, Lebanon, and Palestine as their opponents. They’ll play six matches in total, facing each team both at home and away. Read more: Bangladesh football team start training session ahead of FIFA World Cup qualifiers Australia is a dominating team, and it’s likely they’ll play aggressively against Bangladesh. It’s crucial that Bangladesh maintain a strong fighting spirit. Each player needs to focus on giving their best performance and ensure there’s no lack of effort on their part. The Bangladesh team has been actively involved in the game for the past few months. Following two drawn international friendlies against Afghanistan in September, some of the national team players participated in the U-23 side at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In October, Bangladesh played two matches in the preliminary phase of the World Cup qualifiers against Maldives. Overall, the team’s recent performance has been promising and positive. On the other hand, Australia has been a consistent participant in the FIFA World Cup since 2006. They currently hold the 27th position in the FIFA rankings, a significant 156 spots ahead of Bangladesh, which is ranked 183rd. In the recent World Cup in Qatar, Australia performed well by defeating Denmark and Tunisia in Group D, earning a spot in the last 16. Although they faced a setback with a 2-1 loss against the eventual champions Argentina, their performance in the tournament was remarkable. After the World Cup, Australia played six friendly matches and won two of them while drawing one against Mexico. So, playing against such a team will be difficult for Bangladesh, and they are the underdog here. Read more: Bangladesh team to leave for Melbourne to play Australia in FIFA World Cup qualifiers BAN vs. AUS Head-To-Head Football Matches So Far Bangladesh has encountered Australia twice before. In the 2015 World Cup qualifiers, the Red and Green team suffered losses of 5-0 in Perth on September 3, 2015, and 4-0 in Dhaka on November 17, 2015. Jamal Bhuiyan played in both matches for Bangladesh. They will meet Australia for the third time on November 16. The Bangladesh team expresses confidence, noting that compared to the squad from 8 years ago, there are some differences in the team this time. Australia Squad Against Bangladesh Australia’s national football team (Socceroos) has announced a 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine, incorporating an experimental approach. Fourteen players in the squad did not participate in Australia’s Qatar World Cup campaign. The matches are scheduled for November 16 and 22, and the squad includes two debutants.  Western Sydney Wanderers’ striker Kusini Yengi has been unexpectedly selected after scoring five goals in nine matches for League One leaders Portsmouth. Charlton goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer is also included as a backup to Mat Ryan. Australia Team  Mat Ryan, Joe Gauci, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Aziz Behich, Jordy Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Ryan Strain, Keanu Baccus, Jackson Irvine, Massimo Luongo, Connor Metcalfe, Aiden O’Neill, Brandon Borrello, Martin Boyle, Mitch Duke, Craig Goodwin, Jamie Maclaren, Sam Silvera, Kusini Yengi. Bangladesh’s Probable Squad Bangladesh’s preparation for the upcoming match against Australia is focused on a determined fight. However, the preparation process is still incomplete, even on the eve of their departure to Australia. Thirty players were called to the camp, but the final team of 23 players scheduled to go to Melbourne is yet to be confirmed by Coach Javier Fernández Cabrera. The coach is uncertain about the inclusion of one or two players, causing a delay in the decision-making process. However, here is our predicted squad. Anisur Rahman Zico, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Topu Barman, Rimon Hossain, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Mohamed Atikuzzaman, Mehedi Hasan Mithu, Mohammed Jahid Hasan, Tanvir Hossain, Masuk Mia Jony, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Papon Singh, Abu Shaeid, Motin Mia, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Sazzad Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Eleta Kingsley, Sarower Zaman Nipu, Jafar Iqbal, Mojibur Rahman Jony and Mohammad Ibrahim. Read more: World Cup Qualifiers: BFF announces 23-member squad to fly Australia Friday night Bangladeshi Footballers to Watch Rakib Hossain In the second leg of the World Cup qualifying play-off against Maldives, Bangladesh scored a goal at the beginning of the match. Forward Rakib Hossain scored a goal in the 11th minute of the match that led Bangladesh to a 1-0 scoreline, which eventually boosted confidence in the team. Rakib played 34 matches for Bangladesh and scored 4 goals. Isa Faysal Debuted on June 25, 2023, 24-year-old Isa Faysal is the most valuable player for Bangladesh with a €225k market value. He played a total of 7 matches for Bangladesh. Australian Footballers to Watch Harry Souttar Harry Souttar is one of the star players of the Australian national football team as well as for Leicester City. He played 19 games for Australia and scored 8 goals so far. Mathew Ryan Australian football team captain and goalkeeper Mat Ryan has appeared in 83 matches for Australia. Although he has conceded 81 goals so far, Ryan kept 33 clean sheets. So, he will certainly become a great wall for the Australian goalpost. In his more than 10 years of career, Ryan got a yellow card only once. Final Words Team Bangladesh left for Melbourne on November 11, 2023, after the day-long training. While Australia, ranked 27th globally, presents a tough opponent, Bangladesh remains optimistic despite being the underdog. It is expected that the Bangladesh vs. Australia match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second-round qualifier round will be competitive and interesting. Read more: Bangladesh’s matches in the 2nd Round Qualifiers of FIFA World Cup 2026: Schedules, Fixtures, Team