United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh U-19 Football team safely reached the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh Tuesday noon Via Kolkata to compete in the six- nation SAFF U-19 Men's Championship’2025 in a hope to clinch the title The regional youth soccer meet will be held from May 9-19 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia. Bangladesh team, studded with two foreign players, have not any training session today (Tuesday), They will make their first training session on Wednesday at 3 pm local time. Left wingers Abdul Kadir of Italy and forward Farzad Syed Aftab of USA included in the Bangladesh U-19 side for the first time. All the players of Bangladesh team are now in sound health, said a BFF media release Tuesday evening.  Bangladesh team put in Group A of the regional youth soccer meet with Bhutan and the Maldives while the Group B team comprises hosts India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Nazmul Huda Faysal named as the captain of 30- member Bangladesh team,  consists of 23 booters and seven officials. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Bangladesh coach Golam Rabbani Chotan said: "Our countrymen wants to be the champions in the meet and we also want to do this." Ankle injury ruled out Taskin from action for another month  Bangladesh will play the Maldives in the opening match on May 9 at 4 pm while hosts India will encounter Sri Lanka in the other opening day's fixture at 7:30 pm. In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will face Bhutan on May 11 also at 4 pm at the same venue. Top two teams from each of the two groups will play in the semifinals on May 16 while the final match billed for May 18.

All the 18 rebel national women's footballers of the SAFF Women's Champions Bangladesh Football team finally signed a six-month contract with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) recently . With the inclusion of 18 rebel booters, all the preliminary selected 53 women's footballers, are now under the BFF payroll in different categories. Earlier in the first phase in February, thirty five preliminarily selected women's footballers signed six-month contract with BFF. Eight national booters out of 18 are now in national training camp in Dhaka under the team's Head Coach Peter Butler. The rest 10 booters, now in Bhutan,to play in the Bhutan Women's National Football League, signed contract with BFF recently from Bhutan, Chairman of the BFF Women’s Wing  Mahfuza Akter Kiron confirmed. A record ten players will play together in the Bhutan national women’s league beginning on May 10. BCL Football: Arambagh KS beat BFF Elite Academy by 2-0 goals Four players --Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun, SAFF's best player Ritu Porna Chakma, reliable national booters Monika Chakma and Matsushima Sumaya will play for Paro FC. national defender Masura Parvin, SAFF's best goalkeeper Rupna Chakma and Krishna Rani Sarkar will play for the Transport United while Maria Manda, Sanjida Akter and Shamsunnahar Sr will play for Thimphu City. Of the above 10 national booters, nine booters except Matsushima Sumaya, signed contract with BFF in the highest Grade A of Tk 55,000, Tk 5000 more than the previous contract along with another  four other players The four other Grade A footballers are : Tahura Khantun. Sheuly  Azim, Shamsun Nahar Jr and Nilufa Yesmin Nila        The BFF is conducting women's national training camp under head coach Peter Butler ahead of their two international friendly matches against Jordan on May 31 and with Indonesia on June 3, both the matches will be held in Jordan.  Earlier in January 30,  18 rebel national women's footballers boycotted the national training camp under head coach Peter Butler raising some allegations against him.

Nottingham Forest’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot took a blow on Monday after a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League. Despite spending much of the season in the league’s top three, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side has managed just one win in its last four matches. That poor run of form has seen them slip behind rivals Chelsea, Newcastle, and a resurgent Manchester City in the standings. Bangladesh team fly for India on Tuesday to take part in SAFF U-19s A victory over Palace would have brought Forest level on points with Chelsea and Newcastle, but settling for a draw leaves them in sixth place — just outside the top five, which secures qualification for next season’s Champions League. The game itself was scrappy at times, with eight players booked in a match that lacked rhythm and clear control from either side. Crystal Palace broke the deadlock just past the hour mark. After a VAR review, goalkeeper Matz Sels was ruled to have brought down Tyrick Mitchell in the box, and Eberechi Eze calmly converted the resulting penalty. Forest responded swiftly, equalizing within four minutes when Murillo managed to deflect Neco Williams’ shot past the Palace keeper. Palace came close to reclaiming the lead late on, with Eze striking the post in the final moments and Eddie Nketiah seeing a stoppage-time goal ruled out for offside. The result extends Palace’s winless run in the league to five matches. “We were a bit unlucky at times — hitting the post, the offside decision — but the players showed great spirit,” said Palace head coach Oliver Glasner. “Creating so many chances against a side like Forest isn’t easy, so I’m really happy with how we played.”    

Bangladesh U-19 Football team will fly for Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh Tuesday morning to participate in the six- nation SAFF U-19 Men's Championship 2025 in a hope to clinch the title The regional youth soccer meet will begin on May 9 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia. Bangladesh is in Group A of the regional youth soccer meet with Bhutan and the Maldives, while the Group B team comprises hosts India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Golam Rabbani Faysal will lead the 30-member Bangladesh team, which consists of 23 booters and seven officials. "Our countrymen want to see us as the champions in the meet, and we also want to do so," Bangladesh coach Golam Rabbani Chotan said in a press conference on Monday. Bangladesh will play the Maldives in the opening match on May 9 at 4 pm while hosts India will encounter Sri Lanka in the other opening day's fixture at 7:30 pm . In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will face Bhutan on May 11 at the same venue. The top two teams from each of the two groups will play in the semifinals on May 16, while the final match is billed for May 18.

The “curse” has been lifted. Harry Kane can finally celebrate his first career title after Bayern Munich became Bundesliga champion with a little help from Freiburg on Sunday. Freiburg drew with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 to leave Bayern an unassailable eight points clear of the 2024 champion with two rounds of the German league remaining. Kane had never won a title in a career of runner-up finishes and individual top scorer awards with Bayern, Tottenham and England, leading some to speak of a “curse” against a player considered one of the world’s best forwards. Kane's arrival as Bayern's record signing in 2023 was followed by the club's first trophyless season since 2012. Kane was ready to celebrate Saturday when Bayern looked set to win 3-2 in Leipzig. But Yussuf Poulsen equalized with the last kick of the game for Leipzig to draw 3-3 and postpone Bayern’s party. “Next week, Harry!” teammate Thomas Müller wrote on Instagram. He didn’t have to wait that long. Leverkusen played without conviction in Freiburg, knowing that second place was already secured and that it only had a mathematical chance of defending its title with Bayern having a far superior goal difference. Maximilian Eggestein fired the home team ahead before the break and an own-goal from Piero Hincapie after it put Freiburg firmly in control. Leverkusen had to wait till the 82nd minute for Florian Wirtz to pull one back with his team’s first shot on target. Jonathan Tah equalized with the next in stoppage time, but it made no difference for the new league champion. It’s Bayern’s record-extending 34th German championship including the first for the club in 1932. All the others came after the Bundesliga’s formation in 1963. Champions League fight heats upFreiburg's draw kept it fourth in the final place for Champions League qualification, just a point ahead of a resurgent Borussia Dortmund and two ahead of Leipzig. Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt stayed four points clear of Freiburg with a 1-1 draw at Mainz in the late game. Only the top four teams qualify for Europe's premier club competition. Earlier, Holstein Kiel boosted its hopes of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 win at Augsburg. It moved Kiel one point behind Heidenheim, which occupies the relegation playoff place. Kiel next plays Freiburg, then Dortmund.

Arambagh Krira Sangha emerged as the close title contender of the Bashundhara Group Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) Football beating BFF Elite Football Academy by 2-0 goals at the Fortis FC ground in Jalshiri here on Sunday afternoon. After the day’s match, both the PWD SC and Arambagh KS have secured 28 points each playing 12 and 13 matches respectively, but PWD SC topped list by virtue of better goal differences with an advantage of playing one match less than Arambagh KS. BFF Elite Academy remained at the 8th slot with 12 points from 12 matches. In the day’s match, Mohammad Nazimuddin scored first for Arambagh KS in the 25th minute (1-0) while Mohammad Arafat Mia assured the Arambagh victory scoring the 2nd goal in the 42nd minute (2-0). The day’ s another league match between BRTC SC and Uttar Baridhara Club ended in a goalless at the practice ground of Bashundhara Kings Arena here.  Bangladesh name squad for UAE T20Is, Litton to lead The day’s other league match between Wari Club and Farashganj SC also ended in a goalless draw at the Shaheed Barkat Stadium in Gazipur on Sunday. After the day’s matches, Uttar Baridhara Club advanced to the 6th slot in the 10-team league securing 13 points, Farashganj SC went down to the 7th place also with 13 points while Wari Club and BRTC SC remained at the 9th slot and 10th place respectively collecting 11 points each.

Al-Ahli won its first AFC Champions League Elite title after beating Kawasaki Frontale of Japan 2-0 in the final on Saturday. The star-studded Jeddah team, playing at home in front of 60,000 fans at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, deserved what was a comfortable victory and completed an unbeaten tournament. First-half goals from Galeno and Franck Kessie put the two-time beaten finalist in control against the five-time Japanese champion. The tournament quarterfinals, semifinals and final were staged in Jeddah and Al-Ahli rode a wave of support. The hosts were on top early and made the breakthrough after 35 minutes. Roberto Firmino fed Galeno outside the area and the Brazilian winger, signed from Porto in January for around $55 million, sent a curling shot into the top corner. Three minutes before the break, Firmino crossed from the right for Kessie, and the former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder headed home from close range. Firmino won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Eric Dier to leave Bayern Munich at season’s end Kawasaki, which knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in the semifinals to reach its first final, pressured after the restart but struggled to create clear chances against a team full of big-game experience. Firmino, signed from Liverpool in 2023, is a past UEFA Champions League winner, as are his teammates Riyad Mahrez and Edouard Mendy, who lifted the trophy with Manchester City and Chelsea respectively. Mahrez, with nine goals in the tournament, went close to adding a third late in the final, firing just wide. The home fans were already celebrating. "We are so proud. Once we knew that the final eight would be in Jeddah, it was our goal to be champions in front of our fans,” Al-Ahli goalkeeper Mendy said. “Since I came here 18 months ago, they have supported us so much. As I said when I signed, it was to make history, to win trophies and to make this club as big as it was before.” Al-Ahli is the third Saudi club to win the Champions League after Jeddah rival Al-Ittihad and Riyadh’s Al-Hilal.

Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society shared points with Brothers Union Club in the Bashundhara Group Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football at the Fl. Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Saturday. Rahmatganj's Gambian midfielder Solomon Kings displayed his brilliance in the match and was adjudged the best player of the match. After the day's 13th round matches, Rahmatganj MFS remained at the 4th slot and Brothers Union Club at the 5th place securing 20 and 19 points, respectively. BCL Football: Farashganj SC, Wari Club win Dhaka Mohammedan SC comfortably dominated the table securing 34 points to consolidate their claim for the league crown, former champions Dhaka Abahani Limited were in distant 2nd collecting 27 points while holders Bashundhara Kings remained at the 3rd with 24 points. In the day's other match, Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool defeated Chittagong Abahani Limited by 3-2 goals at the Shaheed Barkat Stadium in Gazipur. The match was locked in 1-1 goals in the first half. Shuvo Raj Bongshi put the port city team Ctg Abahani ahead in the 33rd minute (1-0) while Ivory Coast forward Quattara Ben Ibrahim leveled the margin for Youngmen's Club in the following 34th minute (1-1). Basundhara Kings retain Federation Cup Football title beating Dhaka Abahani Quattara Ben Ibrahim put Youngmen's Club ahead from behind in the 76th minute (2-1) while Sayed Hossain Sayem further widen the margin in the first minute of the added time (45+1 minute (3-1). Defender Faisal Ahmed reduced the Ctg Abahani margin (3-2) in the 3rd minute of the added time (45+3 minute)

Bayern Munich confirmed that English defender Eric Dier will depart the club at the end of the season, following the expiry of his contract. “We had discussions with Eric about a new contract. He told us that he doesn’t want to extend and will leave us,” Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said Friday. “He’s a great guy. We had a great time together. Hopefully he crowns his time with us with his first title,” he added, reports AP. The 31-year-old is reportedly set to join French side Monaco, where he is expected to receive a longer deal and more regular playing time than at he did at the German powerhouse. Dier arrived in Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in January last year and made 45 appearances for the club. However, he struggled for minutes under new manager Vincent Kompany until recently, when he began to prove his value to the squad. Lord's to host 2026 Women's T20 World Cup final “We had good talks with his agent,” Freund said, adding, “There’s another possibility where he can sign a longer contract, you have to respect that.” Bayern can clinch the Bundesliga title with a victory over Leipzig on Saturday. It remains uncertain whether Dier will stay on for FIFA’s new Club World Cup in the United States, scheduled from June 14 to July 13. Freund noted that the club would “speak with him internally” about the matter.

The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham. Big wins for both teams in the first legs of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday kept alive their hopes of lifting a major trophy and qualifying for the Champions League. United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at the San Mames in Spain and Tottenham won 3-1 at home against Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt. Both United and Spurs have endured miserable domestic campaigns and are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League. But European club soccer's second-tier Europa League could yet see one of them salvage their season. Not only is silverware on the line, but so is an unlikely route to the lucrative Champions League as the prize for winning the competition. United in control United produced possibly its finest performance of the season to take a commanding first-leg lead against 10-man Bilbao. Casemiro headed Ruben Amorim’s team in front in the 30th minute after a cross from Harry Maguire. Barcelona’s attack meets Inter defence in UCL semifinals It was 2-0 seven minutes later when Rasmus Hojlund was brought down in the box by Dani Vivian and a penalty was awarded after a VAR review. Vivian was shown a red card for the foul and Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot. Fernandes got his second and United’s third in the 45th when he ran through on goal and curled a shot past goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. The United captain has now scored 19 goals and provided 16 assists in all competitions this season. According the statistician Opta, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is the only Premier League player to have made more goal contributions this term with 56. “I want to score goals, I want to be involved. I know one of my qualities is getting goals and making assists, so I just need to keep going,” Fernandes said. United's win could have been even more emphatic with Noussair Mazraoui and Casemiro both hitting the woodwork. The second leg is at Old Trafford next Thursday and United is potentially just 90 minutes away from returning to Bilbao, which is staging the final on May 21. The run in Europe is in stark contrast to United's terrible domestic form, which will see it end the season with a club-record low-points total and its lowest position in the Premier League era. Sitting 14th in the standings, United has never looked likely to challenge for Champions League qualification through its league placing. But it has saved some spectacular performances for the Europa League — including the epic comeback against Lyon in the quarterfinals when it rallied from 4-2 down in extra time to win 5-4. Amorim, however, warned against complacency in the second leg. “They (Bilbao) can do the same thing in Old Trafford because they are really strong, they are really intense,” he said. “Of course, we are in the advantage. We have our fans, but again, this could change.” Tottenham leads Under-pressure Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou could yet live up to his proclamation that he always wins a trophy in his second season. Real Madrid defender Rüdiger gets 6-game ban for conduct toward referee That record — which was carried through with former clubs Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F Marinos and Celtic — has looked in serious jeopardy for much of a season that has seen Spurs lose 19 times in the league. But a 3-1 win against Bodo/Glimt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will fuel belief that Postecoglou could deliver the goods again. Spurs were ahead inside a minute through Brennan Johnson, and James Maddison doubled the lead 34th. Dominic Solanke's penalty in the 61st made it 3-0, but Ulrik Saltnes gave the Norwegians hope ahead of next week's return leg in Norway by pulling a goal back in the 83rd. “I don’t think the scoreline reflects our dominance, but at the end of the first leg, all you want is to be in a good position and we’ve got ourselves into a good position,” Postecoglou said. UEFA Conference League Chelsea completed a good night for English teams by beating Djurgarden 4-1 in Sweden in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semifinal. Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the win. Real Betis won 2-1 against Fiorentina with on-loan Manchester United forward Antony getting a goal to maintain his impressive form since moving to Spain.