U-20s off to Vietnam with reserved expectations

Bangladesh U-20 team had often reached the final round of the AFC Youth Championship around the 1980s but have not been able to replicate that success over the last 20 years since they last qualified for the AFC U-19 Championship finals in 2002.

Another edition of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, formerly the AFC Youth Championship, is set to begin, with Bangladesh competing in Vietnam. The boys in Red and Green have been drawn alongside hosts Vietnam, Syria, Bhutan, and Guam in Group A. The ten group winners and five best runners-up will join hosts China in the 16-team finals.

In the last 10 editions between 2003 and 2023, Bangladesh's best result have been runners-up finishes three times -- in 2003, 2014, and 2016 -- but they have not reached the final round where they played five times: 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1996, and 2002.

Following their triumph in the SAFF U-20 Championship under the guidance of experienced coach AKM Maruful Haque -- the country's sole UEFA A-licence holder -- expectations have risen for Bangladesh to qualify for the finals of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup. However, Maruful played down the expectations this time.

"The way I said we would bring the SAFF [U-20] Championship trophy home before winning it, I cannot say the same this time -- that we will qualify [for the finals of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup]. However… I've told the players they have the ability to qualify for the finals," said Maruful at a press conference at the BFF House on Wednesday.

Maruful also explained why he is not optimistic, as the team are scheduled to leave for Vietnam tonight without several key players from Bashundhara Kings who played crucial roles in their SAFF U-20 Championship victory -- the likes of Rustom Dukhu Miah, Rabbi Hossain Rahul, Chandan Roy, Mohammad Mohsin, and the goalkeeper duo of Mehedi Hasan Srabon and Mohammad Asif.

Maruful further lamented that he had also wanted Bashundhara Kings' Mojibur Rahman Jonny and Rimon Hossain, in addition to the six aforementioned players, but the club did not release them for the Vietnam assignment. Mohsin and Asif eventually joined the camp late, but both were dropped from the final squad due to a lack of fitness.

To make matters worse, seven players contracted dengue fever days after training began on September 5, leaving Maruful to prepare 12-13 players.

"Four U-20 team members took a three-day vacation after serving the senior national team in Bhutan, but later couldn't rejoin training due to their club's policies. To be honest, I had the full squad together for just three days," Maruful said, adding that they would also have limited time to prepare before their first match against Syria on September 21.

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Bangladesh will then face Guam on September 23, Vietnam on September 27, and Bhutan on September 29.