Aiming to cross the group stage, Bangladesh Under-20 national team will leave Dhaka for Katmandu tomorrow to play the SAFF U-20 football championship to kick off from August 18.
In a bid to win the trophy of the SAFF youth championship a total of six teams - Bangladesh India, Maldives, Bhutan and the host Nepal will contest in the weeklong competition splitting into two groups when Bangladesh is in Group A along with Sri Lanka and the host Nepal.
Bangladesh will begin the campaign with taking on Sri Lanka on August 20 and will play the last match of the group stage against Nepal on August 22.
Bangladesh is going to Nepal under the guidance of A.K.M. Maruful Haque, the only high profile football in the country, who has the UEFA A coaching license.
Maruful, detailed about the team’s preparation and his target in a press meet at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Bhaban yesterday.
Maruf, when put across his expectation with the team told that he has every confidence to do well and expected that the team will cross the group stage, as the team contains a bunch of experienced booters playing in the top tire league of countries football.
Maruful said, “Apart from four, rest of the players are playing in the Bangladesh Premier League Football, while some of them are also experienced with playing for the national side.
But Maruful expressed his discontent that he is going to Katmandu with only two weeks preparation.
“It would be better if I would have more time to prepare the team, we had only two weeks to practice for the competition. But in last few days I observed the players in the practice session, they are very confident.”
Replying to the query whether it would be possible to comply with the target with the short time practice, Maruful said, “As they played in the Premier League Football and have experiences playing in the national team, their confidence level is also high.”
“Anyway, our preliminary target to cross the group stage to play in the semifinal and I hope it’s possible,” Maruful told.
