Bangladesh’s 2-1 defeat to Singapore in the Asian Cup Qualifiers wasn’t just a defeat -- it was a missed opportunity to build something better with the right tools finally in hand. And that’s exactly what former striker and Mohammedan’s league-winning coach Alfaz Ahmed is talking about: we finally have the parts, but we don’t know how to assemble the machine.
Despite a 2-0 defeat to Singapore in their Asian Cup Qualifiers encounter at the National Stadium on Tuesday, Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera insisted his side was the better team and described the result as deeply disappointing.
The Daily Star’s Ekush Tapadar, Anisur Rahman, and Atique Anam delve into Bangladesh’s prospects in this much-anticipated encounter, examine the influence of these high-profile players on the national team and address the persistent issues crippling the country's domestic football.
Bangladesh football team head coach Javier Cabrera said that he wants to present a victory against Singapore in their upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers game as an Eid gift to the nation.
A few expatriates have made their way into Bangladesh football in recent times, with Canada-based Shamit Shome being the latest addition after England-based Hamza Choudhury, Fahamedul Islam from Italy, Finland-based Tarik Kazi, and Denmark-based Jamal Bhuiyan.
The Bangladesh national football team is set to begin preparations from Saturday for two upcoming international fixtures, with 26 players joining camp at the Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.
The national team received a boost with the addition of midfielder Shamit Shome, who joins star player Hamza Choudhury in the middle of the park.
Bangladesh’s domestic competitions are not producing forwards who steal the spotlight in big matches. Goals in lopsided fixtures, played in front of empty stands, do little to prepare players for the intensity of international football.
Jamal Bhuiyan, the most-capped player in Bangladesh’s history, is slowly becoming a peripheral figure in the team despite being the captain. To know his views on this issue and his overall plans in football, The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman and Atique Anam caught up with the Denmark-born midfielder. Following are the excerpts of the interview.
After showing a bit of competitiveness in the Asian Cup Qualifiers nine weeks ago, Bangladesh football team's coach Javier Cabrera is hoping to get a maiden win under his belt when his charges play against Cambodia and Nepal in FIFA friendly matches next month.
Although Bangaldesh could not win a single match in the Asian Cup Qualifiers last June, the charges of Spanish coach Javier Cabrera showed some signs of improvement with competitive displays against highly-ranked Bahrain, Turkmenistan and Malaysia despite the absence of key players.
It might have been tough to find even a single Bangladesh football fan who expected anything big from the national football team when a depleted squad left the country last month.
Bangladesh centre-back Topu Barman, who is missing the Asian Cup Qualifiers due to a long-term injury, was impressed with the positive performance of the team against Turkmenistan in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
After a goalless draw in an international friendly against Indonesia on Wednesday, Bangladesh reached Kuala Lumpur today to gear up for the Asian Cup Qualifiers, starting from June 8. Bangladesh were placed in Group E alongside Malaysia, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.
Bangladesh national football team had a good preparation for the upcoming Asian Cup Qualifiers when a depleted side played out a goalless draw against Indonesia in a FIFA friendly in Bandung, Indonesia tonight.
Before the departure of the national football team for Jakarta on Friday for their FIFA friendly against Indonesia and the ensuing Asian Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia, the national team’s head coach Javier Cabrera remained optimistic about their chances despite the absence of experienced forwards in his squad.
