Two-time champions, the Bangladesh U-17 team, are set to face the hot favourites and defending champions, India, in the SAFF U-17 Football Championship final at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan on Monday.
Bangladesh secured their place in the final by defeating Pakistan 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shootout in the second semi-final at the same venue on Saturday. Meanwhile, title contenders India overcame Nepal with a 4-2 victory in the first semi-final.
India clinched the last SAFF Championship in 2023 at the same venue, defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final. Bangladesh also suffered a defeat to India in the opening match of this year's tournament. Many players from that campaign are part of the current U-17 squad.
Coach Saiful Bari Titu is well aware of the formidable challenge posed by India, acknowledging that it will not be an easy task to overcome them. However, he remains hopeful, drawing confidence from his team's performance against Pakistan in the semi-final. He aims to put on a strong display.
"We will try to establish ourselves as strong contenders. That is our main goal. We want to progress step by step," said Titu. He added, "India are a strong opponent. They are the defending champions, and we also lost to them in the group stage. We learned valuable lessons from that match. I hope the boys will avoid major mistakes in the final."
Skipper Nazmul Huda Foysal, who also captained the U-16 side that reached the final last year, admitted that India are a tough opponent. He expressed confidence in their preparation to handle the challenge.
India were the champions in 2022, the last time the tournament was held for the U-17 age group. Last year's edition was for the U-16 age group, and head coach Ishfaq Ahmed has retained 16 of the 23 players from that squad, which lifted the trophy at the same Changlimithang Stadium.
A year ago, India faced Bangladesh in the opening match, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Thoungamba Usham Singh. The final saw India triumph 2-0 over Bangladesh. The repeat of the 2023 final promises to be another close contest, with India aiming to maintain their dominance over their eastern neighbours.
"We expect a tough match against Bangladesh. We're happy to face them. I want our players to be tested, and we know that Bangladesh is not an easy team to play against. But we are confident of making a positive start. Let's hope everyone enjoys
good football tomorrow," said
Ishfaq Ahmed.
Midfielder Ngamgouhou Mate, who started all four matches in last year's tournament and captained India during their Indonesia tour last month, does not feel the pressure of being the defending champions. "We're back here after a year. Tomorrow, against Bangladesh, we want to get going right from the start. We're hoping for a positive result," said the 16-year-old.
Ahmed believes his players have matured significantly over the past year. From making their international debuts in 2023, the Blue Colts are now taking gradual steps to advance their budding careers. The focus is also on the upcoming AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Thailand in October, following the conclusion of the SAFF U-17 Championship.
Leading the Bangladesh team is head coach Saiful Bari Titu, who guided his nation to the SAFF U-19 and U-16 Women's Championship titles earlier this year (U-19 jointly with India).
