Anisur Rahman

The curtain of the 13th SAFF Championship draws to a close today after the seven-time champions India take on debutant finalist Nepal in the closing match of the regional football extravaganza at Maldives’ National Football Stadium in Male.

Anjan Bista’s penalty, awarded by Uzbekistan referee Akhrol Riskullaev in a controversial fashion, in the dying minutes of the game broke the hearts of Bangladesh as Nepal came from behind to draw 1-1 in their final group fixture of the SAFF Championship at the National Football Stadium in Male yesterday.

Bangladesh national football team are looking forward to putting an end to a 16-year drought for a place in the SAFF Championship final as they square off against Nepal in a do-or-die clash at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives today.

The fate of Bangladesh in the ongoing SAFF Championship was no longer in their hands after losing 2-0 to Maldives in their third and penultimate match of the group stage, but it all changed on Sunday night after India beat Nepal 1-0 to keep their and Bangladesh’s hope of qualifying to the final.

A mini artificial turf ground located on the east of Male, adjacent to the Hiyfaseyha Maidhaan, was seen buzzing with the presence of around 30 budding footballers, training under two coaches, of the Friends Football Family Academy.

On the back of only a week-long preparation under interim coach Oscar Bruzon, Bangladesh national team surprised all in their first two matches against Sri Lanka and India in the ongoing SAFF Championship before suffering a defeat against hosts Maldives in their third match,

High-flying Bangladesh tasted their first defeat in the 13th SAFF Championship, suffering a 0-2 defeat to Maldives at the National Football Stadium in Male yesterday.

Bolstered by a creditable 1-1 draw against India in the previous match, Bangladesh are looking forward to preserving the momentum of their performance in their crucial upcoming SAFF Championship encounter as they square off against the hosts and defending champions Maldives at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives today.

Ahead of the start of the match against India in the SAFF Championship, Yeasin Arafat was distracted for a second as he recalled an incident in the final of the 2019 SAFF U-18 Championship against their Indian counterpart in Kathmandu when Bangladesh’s left-back had been sent off for a second booking after covering his face with his jersey in celebration after cancelling out a second-minute lead from Vikram Partap Singh.

Bangladesh football looked dead and buried during a World Cup Qualifier in Doha against India in June, defending for 90 minutes before their resistance was broken by a late Sunil Chhetri brace.

The men in red and green jumped high to punch their fists in the air as 10-man Bangladesh courageously came from behind to hold seven-time champions India to a 1-1 draw in their second match of the SAFF Championship at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives.

Having come back from a goal down and one man short to earn a creditable 1-1 draw against India, Bangladesh football coach Oscar Bruzon mentioned that the Bangladesh football is still well and truly alive and expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the national team in their second SAFF Championship encounter at Maldives yesterday.

With the clock ticking down during the World Cup qualifying match against India at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha in June,

After a light training session at the Turf Ground in Male yesterday afternoon following a 1-0 win over Sri Lanka in the opener of SAFF Championship on the previous day, Bangladesh players were waiting for the team bus when suddenly Tapu Barman asked a reporter whether Bangla food was available somewhere near the team hotel.

Bangladesh football team apparently had a hidden pressure to get off to a winning start in the SAFF Championship and the charges of interim coach Oscar Bruzon did it after switching to a brand of possession-based football from a defensive one.

The little Velana International Airport may not be that attractive upon arrival, especially after catching a sneak peek of the splendid beauty of Maldives from the sky.

Bangladesh’s bid to play the final of the SAFF Championship got off to a positive note as they handed a single-goal defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening match of the regional football extravaganza at the National Football Stadium in Male yesterday.

A revitalised Bangladesh are set to begin their SAFF Championship campaign with hopes of a winning start in their opening match against a new-look new-look Sri Lanka at the National Football Stadium in Male today.

“I have already bought a ticket to watch Bangladesh’s opening match against Sri Lanka after standing in a long queue on Wednesday. Many Bangladeshis living here are also waiting to buy tickets,” expatriate Mansur Ali contentedly answered ahead of the start of the SAFF Championship in Male today.

Ahead of the 13th SAFF Championship in the Maldives from October 1, Bangladesh will hope their desire to play the elusive final does not again turn to despair.