Bangladesh National football team
Bruzon era starts brightly as Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in SAFF opener
Bangladesh got the start they hoped for in the 5-nation SAFF Championship with a comfortable win against Sri Lanka in Male on Friday, although new head coach Oscar Bruzon will be concerned at the failure to convert their much greater possession and chances in open play into goals.
Ultimately they had to rely on a second half penalty for a 1-0 victory, after Lankan defender Duckson Puslas handled inside the box. It was Duckson's second yellow card offense, meaning the Lankans were also down to 10 men.
Defender Topu Barman stepped up to coolly convert from the spot in the 55th minute. Sri Lanka never really looked like troubling the Bangladeshi goalkeeper, and Bruzon's men had the 3 points they craved to start the tournament.
The Spaniard, who came to the job with extensive knowledge of Bangladeshi football after three successful years managing BPL champions Bashundhara Kings, made good on his promise of a more modern and attractive style of play in his team's very first outing under him.
Read: SAFF Championship: Bangladesh kick off against Sri Lanka in opener Friday
Bangladesh bossed possession (58% to 42%) throughout the match and created waves of chances, with 20 shots on goal against 9 for Sri Lanka, none of which were on target. Bangladesh had 4 shots on target.
The failure to convert more of those chances into direct threats for the Lankan goalkeeper will be an area Bruzon will surely work to improve. Although dominant in midfield, some of the play in the final third left a lot to be desired.
SAFF Championship 2021: Five players who could make a difference for Bangladesh
Bangladesh's newly appointed Spanish head coach Oscar Bruzon has named a preliminary squad for the upcoming SAFF Championship 2021. Meanwhile, BFF has yet to explain why Jamie Day has been relieved of his duties for the next two months. In his absence, Bruzon will coach Bangladesh national team in the SAFF football championship in the hopes of impressing BFF. Some of the players that competed in the Tri-nation series were left out by the new coach. In this article, we look at the five players that have the potential to influence the outcomes for Bangladesh in the SAFF Championship 2021.
Five Bangladesh Players to Watch Out in SAFF Championship 2021
Oscar Bruzon named a 26-man squad, which will be reduced to 23 before heading to the Maldives for the SAFF Championship 2021. Here are five players who could make a difference for Bangladesh during the tournament.
Topu Barman (Defender)
Bangladesh's best center defender at the moment is Topu Barman. The 26-year-old played for Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Ltd before joining Bashundhara Kings in 2019.
Topu Barman debuted for Bangladesh at the senior level in 2013 and has since appeared in 38 international matches for the country. Topu has four international goals, three of which were scored in the SAFF Championship. Topu is expected to display his real talent and lead Bangladesh's defense during the 13th edition of the SAFF football competition.
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Anisur Rahman Zico (Goalkeeper)
24-year-old Anisur Rahman Zico has changed his fortunes after joining the Bashundhara Kings in 2018. He has displayed his real talent after taking over as the team's number one goalkeeper. Anisur Rahman is well-known for his penalty-saving abilities. He was in the spotlight and played a key part for Bashundhara Kings during the 2019-2020 AFC Cup.
Anisur Rahman has become the no.1 goalkeeper for the Bangladesh national football team following his inspiring performance with Bashundhara football club. He made his senior debut against Nepal on November 13, 2020, and has since made seven appearances for the Bangladesh national team. Zico might be crucial for Bangladesh's chances of reaching the final of the next SAFF Championship. So, he is undeniably one of Bangladesh's most important players in the squad.
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Tariq Kazi (Defender)
Bangladeshi origin 20-year-old right-wing back Tariq Kazi was born in the year 2000 in Finland. Tariq is considered one of the country's most gifted footballers. Tariq represented Finland at the U17, U18, and U19 levels. He also played for Finish's first division league team Ilves from 2017 to 2019 before relocating to Bangladesh in 2020. He has been a part of Bashundhara Kings since 2020 and made his national team debut in 2021.
Tariq has made five appearances for Bangladesh's senior team and has established himself as a first-choice right-back both for club and country. Tariq's ability to rush to the opposition's half for a quick counterattack, as well as his defensive strategy, will benefit Bangladesh in the SAFF Championship 2021.
Read BFF announces preliminary squad for SAFF Championship 2021
Eleta Kingsley (Forward)
32-year-old Nigerian-born Eleta Kingsley received Bangladeshi citizenship in March 2021. He has been eligible to represent Bangladesh since getting the passport. Eleta Kingsley received his first call-up from Oscar Bruzon for the SAFF Football Championship 2021 after a six-month wait.
Eleta Kingsley played for a number of Bangladeshi clubs before joining Bashundhara Kings in 2021. He had his most productive time while playing for Team BJMC from 2015 to 2019. He scored 25 goals in 29 appearances for BJMC. Bangladesh will benefit from Eleta Kingsley's height, strength, and shooting skills during the SAFF competition.
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Jamal Bhuyan (Midfielder)
The captain of Bangladesh's men's football team, Jamal Bhuyan was born in the year 1990 in Denmark. Jamal is a defensive midfielder, who previously played for a number of Danish clubs before moving to Bangladesh permanently in 2014. He made his debut for the national team against Nepal in the 2013 SAFF football championship.
Jamal has 51 senior appearances and is widely regarded as the country's best player. He will have to inspire Bangladesh on the pitch during the upcoming competition. Jamal Bhuyan’s performance would undoubtedly make a difference in Bangladesh's championship aspirations.
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Bottom Line
Bangladesh national men's football team will have to play as a unit to win the SAFF Championship 2021. Players must communicate well with one another in order to achieve the target. The new coach Oscar Bruzon needs to lay out a solid game plan for the tournament. However, his primary responsibility would be to bring the group together so that players can perform well on the field. The above-mentioned five players are the most experienced campaigners in the present setup. They will have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility to win Bangladesh's second SAFF football trophy.
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Bangladesh to play Kyrgyzstan U-23 football team in Bishkek on Thursday
Bangladesh national football team will play a friendly match against hosts Kyrgyzstan U-23 side on Thursday at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
The match will kicks-off at 8:3O pm ( BST).
Bangladesh team will play the match as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship to be held in the Maldives next month.
Ahead of the Thursday's match, Bangladesh completed their practices at the Sports City Field in Bishkek Wednesday morning.
Read: Expatriate booters Rahbar, Tahmid join practice session in Kyrgyzstan
All Bangladeshi players are physically sound and fit and the team have no injury problems.
Earlier, Bangladesh national side completed their Three Nations Cup Football' 2021 engagement in Kyrgyzstan losing both the matches.
Hosts Kyrgyzstan clinched Three Nations Cup title with an all-win record outplaying Bangladesh by 4-1 goals on Tuesday after beating Palestine by 1-0.
Bangladesh conceded 0-2 goals defeat against Palestine in their first match last Sunday.
Three Nations Football: Hosts take the title in a canter as Bangladesh out of their depth
Bangladesh national football team suffered 2nd consecutive defeat in the Three Nations Cup Football' 2021 losing to hosts Kyrgyzstan by 1-4 goals at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Tuesday.
With the day's 2nd successive victory, after beating Palestine 1-0 in the opening match, hosts Kyrgyzstan clinched the three nations cup title.
Touring Bangladesh, which conceded a defeat against Palestine in their first match last Sunday, today (Tuesday) went down by 0-2 goals in the first half.
President of Kyrgyzstan Republic Sodyr Nurgojoevich Japarov witnessed the day's match as chief guest.
Three Nations Cup: Bangladesh lose 0-2 to Palestine
Bangladesh national football team conceded a 0-2 defeat against Palestine in their first match of the Three Nations Cup 2021 in Kyrgyzstan Sunday night.
Palestine put Bangladesh down by one goal in the first half at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
Layth Kharoub put Palestine ahead in the 33rd minute (1-0); MA Yaser added one more in the 47th minute (2-0).
Three Nation Football: Bangladesh start tough campaign against Palestine tomorrow
Bangladesh national football team, now in Kyrgyzstan, will kick off their campaign in the Three Nations Cup 2021 by taking on Palestine in Bishkek on Sunday.
The match kicks-off at 8:30 pm Bangladesh Standard Time at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital.
Going by the latest FIFA rankings, 186th-ranked Bangladesh will have a tough time competing with 96th-ranked Kyrgyzstan and 102nd-ranked Palestine.
English Head Coach Jamie Day's Bangladesh will play their 2nd match on September 7 (Tuesday) against hosts Kyrgyzstan, who are in a good position having beaten Palestine 1-0 in the tournament's opening match on Thursday.
Besides, Bangladesh team will also play a friendly match against hosts Kyrgyzstan U-23 side on September 9 as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship to be held in Maldives next month (October).
Read: Expatriate booters Rahbar, Tahmid join practice session in Kyrgyzstan
Prior to Sunday's match, Bangladesh team had an one-hour official training session at the match venue from 10 am to 11 am on Saturday.
This time Bangladesh included two fresh expatriate booters in the squad-- forward Rahbar Wahed Khan from Canada and medio Nayb Md Tahmidul Islam from France in addition to Denmark-born national captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Finland-born Tariq Kazi.
Ahead of Sunday's match, Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan said "Tomorrow is our first match against Palestine, we watched the Kyrgyzstan-Palestine match and discussed about our strategy with the coach. We are fully fit and ready to face Palestine."
"We have to improve our performance, we practiced how to play the match, we will try a new system tomorrow, if it will click then we will continue it," he added
Meanwhile, President of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, accompanied by FIFA council member, BFF and AFC member Mahfuza Akhter Kiron and BFF general secretary Abu Nayem Sohag, are also now in Bishkek to encourage the booters.
BFF President Salahuddin in Kyrgyzstan to encourage national players
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin reached Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek Thursday to encourage the Bangladesh national football team.
The BFF president, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron – FIFA council member, BFF and AFC member – and BFF General Secretary Abu Nayem Sohag landed in Kyrgyzstan at 1:10pm Bangladesh time.
The national team is now Bishkek to play the "Tri-nation Cup 2021" with Palestine and hosts Kyrgyzstan.
Jamie Day's Bangladesh team will face Palestine on September 5 before taking on hosts Kyrgyzstan on September 7 in the tri-nation cup.
Read: Expatriate booters Rahbar, Tahmid join practice session in Kyrgyzstan
The touring Bangladesh team will also play a friendly match against hosts Kyrgyzstan U23 side on September 9 as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship in the Maldives next October.
Earlier, the Bangladesh team started their practice session in Kyrgyzstan last Sunday at the Sports City Field in Kant city.
However, two new Bangladeshi-origin players of the team – forward Rahbar Wahed Khan from Canada and midfielder Nayb Md Tahmidul Islam from France – reached Bishkek last Monday and joined the national team's practice session.
Football: Toronto-boy Rahbar in dreamland as Day looks to diaspora
After earning a surprising call to the Bangladesh national football team, the non-resident Bangladeshi Rahbar Wahed Khan said he is eager to make it to the playing XI of Bangladesh.
The 25-year-old forward lives in Toronto, Canada. He represents a semi-professional side North Toronto Nitros. Along with Rahbar, 18-year-old midfielder Tahmid Islam, who lives in France, has also been called up by the Bangladesh coach Jamie Day.
Rahbar will join the national team in Kyrgyzstan in the coming weeks ahead of a tri-national football event.
“It’s a proud moment for me and my family,” Rahbar said through a video message from Toronto on Wednesday. “I’m so excited, and eagerly waiting to join the team. It's the very first time that I got a call to the Bangladesh national team. Everyone in my family and all of our relatives are so happy.”
Rahbar was a bright footballer during his school days, his father recalled while talking to the media. Rahbar was contacted first by Bangladesh coach Jamie who was convinced after watching his video clips.
“When Rahbar was in class seven in school, I went to watch a match that he played. Before the match, he asked my opinion about how many goals he would score. I told him four, and to my utter surprise, he scored four goals in that match,” Rahbar’s father, Akram Ali Khan, told the media.
Besides studying, Rahbar used to work in Canada, but right after getting a national team call, he resigned from his post, his father said.
“Rahbar has always been so focused on being a great footballer,” his father said. “He got calls from two big clubs of the Bangladesh Premier League, but he refused. He wants to play in a club in Europe. We hope his dreams will come true one day.”
The Bangladesh coach is also excited to have talents like Rahbar in the Bangladesh team. In a recent interview, he backed the decision of relying on the non-resident Bangladeshi players, or those in the diaspora community who are eligible to play for the country, alongside the local players.
READ: AFC Cup: Kolkata Mohun Bagan emerge group D champions playing 1-1 with Bashundhara Kings
The prime example is Jamal Bhuiyan, now established as the captain of the Bangladesh team, who grew up in Denmark, while Tariq Raihan Kazi joined the Bangladesh team from Finland.
“It’s a win-win situation for the players and the team,” Jamie told the media. “They grew up getting better practising facilities, and they have been playing against tougher opponents that made them better footballers than the local players. So if we give them chances to play for Bangladesh, it will eventually help us to do well at the international level.”
According to Englishman Day, if a mixed team with local and non-resident players helps Bangladesh to do better, it’s good to go that way. He also acknowledged that giving priority to the non-resident players might damage the morale of the local players who have been trying to get a national team call for a long time.
“It’s true that some might get upset as they are not getting a national team call. But if we get some non-resident players and they do well for the team, it’s better for all. I think it’s better to form a team with the local players, and at the same time, if we can form a team with the local and non-resident players, it’s good too,” Day added.
If the non-resident players come up and prove their mettle in Kyrgyzstan, they might have places in the Bangladesh team for the next edition of the SAFF Football Championship.
Bangladesh football team will travel to Bishkek on August 28, and will take on Palestine on September 5 and Kyrgyzstan on September 7. After that, they will take on Kyrgyzstan U-23 on September 9 before ending up the tour.
Bangladesh squad for Kyrgyzstan tour:
Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman Zico, Sahidul Alam Sohel, Mitul Marma; Defenders: Bishwanath Ghosh, Topu Barman, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Rahmat Mia, Riyadul Hasan Rafi, Yeasin Arafat, Razaul Karim, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Atikuzzaman; Midfielders: Jamal Bhuyan, Masuk Miah Joni, Sohel Rana, Saad Uddin, Rakib Hossain, Nayb Md Tahmid Islam; Forwards: Biplo Ahamed, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Mohammad Ibrahim, Matin Miah, Rahbar Wahed Khan.
Bangladesh National Football Squad - Jamie Day Announced Team for Three Nations Cup
The Bangladesh national football team will compete in a Three Nations series in Kyrgyzstan in early September. The series will include the host Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, and Bangladesh. Bangladesh will benefit from this competition as they prepare for the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, which begins on October 1. Each team will face off against the other once in the series. Bangladesh will play an extra match against Kyrgyzstan's U-23 team on September 9. Coach Jamie Day picked two NRBs in this team apart from Captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Tariq Kazi. Let's take a look at the Bangladesh national football squad and fixtures for the series.
Bangladesh’s Squad for the Three Nations Series
Jamie Day's 23-man squad for the forthcoming Three Nations series has two new NRBs. They are 25-year-old forward RahbarWahed Khan and 18-year-old midfielder Tahmid Islam. RahbarWahed Khan is a member of the North Toronto Nitros in Canada, while Tahmid Islam is a player of USAA Vertou in France's fifth division.
It remains to be seen how big of an influence they will have on the Bangladesh team because none of the players has played in a top-flight league.
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Among others, MitulMarma, Rezaul Karim, Atikuzzaman, and Saad Uddin have all been called up for the first time or have returned to the national team setup.
Head coach Jamie Day skipped some notable names like Rasel Mahmud Liton, Habibur Rahman Sohag, ManikMolla, and Sumon Reza.
The country's most renowned footballer Jamal Bhuiyan will lead the Bangladesh national team. Apart from him, Topu Barman, Rahmat Mia, Mashuk Mia Johnny, and Matin Mia will be Bangladesh's important players in the series.
Kyrgyzstan and Palestine both have superior national football teams than Bangladesh. Kyrgyzstan are ranked 101, while Palestine are ranked 102 in FIFA ranking. Bangladesh are currently placed 188th in FIFA's world ranking.
We shouldn't expect Bangladesh to win the series against them. Bangladesh's main goal in this series should be to better their preparation and gain experience by playing against more skilled opponents.
Read AFC Cup: Kolkata Mohun Bagan emerge group D champions playing 1-1 with Bashundhara Kings
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman, MitulMarma, ShahidulAlam
Defenders:Bishwanath Ghosh, Topu Barman, Yeasin Arafat, Rezaul Karim, MehediHasan, Atikuzzaman, Tariq Kazi, Rahmat Mia, RiyadulHasan
Midfielders: Jamal Bhuiyan, Rakib Hossain, Tahmid Islam, Mashuk Mia Johnny, SohelRana, Saad Uddin
Forwards:Biplu Ahmed, Mohammad Ibrahim, RahbarWahed Khan, Mahbubur Rahman, Matin Mia
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Three Nations CupSeries Fixture
A part of the Bangladesh national football squad is currently competing in the AFC Cup in the Maldives for Bashundhara Kings. Those who are now in Dhaka will depart for Bishkek on August 28. The remaining players will join the team later. The Spartak Stadium in Bishkek will host the whole series.
Date
Match
Time (BDT)
September 2
Kyrgyzstan vs. Palestine
8.30 pm
September 5
Palestine vs. Bangladesh
8.30 pm
September 7
Kyrgyzstan vs. Bangladesh
8.30 pm
Others
September 9
Kyrgyzstan U23 vs. Bangladesh
8.30 pm
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Verdict
The Bangladesh national football team has struggled in recent years. The BFF (Bangladesh Football Federation) should take the necessary steps to revive Bangladesh football. Bangladesh must play against quality international opponents on a regular basis if they are to progress in football.
So, BFF's decision to participate in the next month's Three Nations Cup is a good move. Bangladesh national football squad will have a lot of confidence going into the upcoming SAFF tournament if they can put up excellent performances against these two tougher opponents.
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What can Bangladesh Achieve in remaining World Cup 2022 Qualifiers?
Bangladesh's national football team is currently competing in the Asia section of the 2022 World Cup qualifications. As usual, Bangladesh have no chance of qualifying for the World Cup final because they have yet to win a match in the second round. Bangladesh have lost four out of six matches in this World Cup qualifying round thus far. The remaining two World Cup qualifiers are crucial for Bangladesh. The outcome of the two matches will determine whether Bangladesh will be able to compete in the next Asia Cup. What Bangladesh football team can achieve in World Cup 2022 qualifiers is discussed in this article.
Bangladesh's current standings in the AFC World Cup qualifying round
The Bangladesh national team are currently in the fifth position in Group E of the second round of World Cup 2022 qualifiers, meaning they are at the bottom of the points table with only two points. India are in fourth place with only one point ahead of Bangladesh. Afghanistan (5) are in the third position, Oman (12) in second, and Qatar are topping the Group E points table.
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Bangladesh drew one match against two neighbors, India and Afghanistan in the group stage. On the other side, Bangladesh have lost two matches to Qatar, one match to Afghanistan, and one match to Oman. Bangladesh only have two more matches to play in the World Cup qualifiers.
So, Bangladesh will not be able to advance to the next round. Qatar have secured the next round with 19 points. While Oman, who are in the second position with 12 points, are already on the verge of clinching a spot in the next round. As a result, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and India are battling for a place in the third round of Asia Cup 2023 qualification.
The outcome of the last two round matches will determine which team will play directly in the next round of the Asian Cup 2023. Bangladesh's next two matches are crucial in this regard.
Read FIFA, AFC qualifiers: Bangladesh face India Monday
Bangladesh's chances of qualifying for the Asian Cup 2023
There are a total of eight groups in the AFC World Cup second round qualifiers. The best team from each group will play in the Asian Cup 2023. Besides, the top four runner-up teams across all groups of the second round will be guaranteed a spot in the Asian Cup in 2023.
In addition, the remaining four runner-up teams and third-place teams in each group will advance to the Asian Cup 2023 third qualifying round.
On the other hand, the top four fourth-place teams from each group will advance to the Asian Cup's third qualifying round. The four fourth-place teams and the bottom teams in each group will advance to the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup 2023.
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Bangladesh will need to win both of their remaining matches to finish in the top three of Group E. Bangladesh will face India on Monday (June 7) and Oman on Tuesday (June 15). Bangladesh will have 8 points if they win these two games. In that case, Bangladesh's chances of finishing in the top three will increase apart from securing a spot in the top four of the group.
Furthermore, Bangladesh will rise to the top of the points table if they lose one match and India lose their final two matches. They must finish in the top three in order to directly qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 third qualifying round. Otherwise, Bangladesh will be forced to compete in the Asia Cup qualifying play-off round.
Verdict
Bangladesh have yet to show that they are capable of competing in a major tournament like the World Cup. However, Bangladesh's national football team is considerably more matured and capable of battling now than it was before. The Bengal Tigers are able to put up a strong resistance against the big oppositions in Asia if they can play with their best. Bangladesh will keep their chances of playing in the Asia Cup if they win their last two matches of the second round of World Cup 2022 qualifiers. So the team tigers will need to perform well in the remaining group stage matches.
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