U-19s face Nepal for place in SAFF final

Bangladesh will look to book a place in the SAFF U-19 Championship final when they face Nepal in the first semifinal of the regional tournament in Arunachal Pradesh, India, today.

Kick-off is scheduled for 4 pm (Bangladesh time) at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia.

The men in red and green, champions of last year's SAFF U-20 Championship, are eager to maintain their momentum after a mixed group stage -- a frustrating 2-2 draw against Maldives followed by a commanding 2-0 win over Bhutan secured their place in the last four.

Their opponents, Nepal, are set to present a tricky challenge. The Himalayan nation began with a heavy 4-0 defeat to hosts India but bounced back with a resounding 5-0 win over Sri Lanka.

"We're ready for the semifinal and aiming for nothing less than a win -- though Nepal are tough opponents. The boys are in good shape both physically and mentally," Bangladesh coach Golam Rabbani Choton said in yesterday's video message shared by Bangladesh Football Federation.

Bangladesh's attacking trio of Nazmul Huda Faisal, Rifat Kazi and Murshed Ali have been in fine form, and coach Choton will be counting on them to lead the charge once again. Defensive lapses, however, remain a concern.

"We've analysed Nepal's strengths and weaknesses over the past few days and also worked on our own mistakes," added the Bangladesh coach.

Captain Nazmul said: "We'll give our best in every position and play as a unit to reach the final."