Busy Eid for Bangladesh’s football teams

While most people in Bangladesh will be busy over the next week, celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with their families and friends, three separate national football teams of the country will be away from home, preparing for crucial international assignments.

The men’s senior national team will leave for Vietnam tomorrow night to play an international friendly match against the hosts on March 26, on their way to Singapore where they will play their final AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture. Singapore have already booked their place in the continental tournament and Bangladesh already out, but this will mark the first international match for the men in red and green. The Singapore fixture could also mark the end of coach Javier Cabrera’s tenure. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh women’s under-20 team will leave on the same night for Thailand to play their maiden Women’s U-20 Asian Cup, which begins on April 1. Debutants Bangladesh have been pitted in Group A against Thailand (April 1), China (April 4) and Vietnam (April 7). Eight teams from the 12-team competition will play in knockout stage.

On the morning of March 21, Bangladesh under-20 men’s football team will depart for Maldives to participate in the SAFF Under-20 Championship. Mark Cox’s charges will face Pakistan on March 24 and India on March 28 in three-team Group B. Group A features the four other nations of SAFF – Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.