Bangladesh were not at their best when they faced Malaysia Under-23 in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup opener in Sylhet a while ago. As a result, the home side suffered a morale-shattering 1-0 defeat.
The scenario though has drastically changed since then. Following the opening match defeat, the hosts improved considerably, getting the better of Sri Lanka and Thailand U-23 on their way to the final.
Even though the hosts initially targeted a semifinal spot, the men in Red and Green now find themselves in the final. And they have the golden opportunity to avenge their defeat against the Malaysians earlier in the tournament.
Many believes that Bangladesh are perhaps playing their best football in recent times. As much as the footballers, Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif also deserves some of the praise for changing around the fortunes of the national side – all in the matter of a few days.
De Kruif has experienced a rollercoaster ride as Bangladesh coach. The 45-year old Dutchman though has learned to mix the good times with the bad.
Very few, however, will begrudge his place in the dugout when the Bangabandhu Gold Cup final kicks off at 5pm today at the big bowl. Many will remember his outpouring of emotions prior to their semifinal clash against Thailand.
“The match is very important for the people of Bangladesh. A lot depends on this match. But, it is also important for a guy from Holland.”
Following an impressive 1-0 win over the Thais, De Kruif is just a step away from claiming the six-nation Bangabandhu Gold Cup. The title win will be significant for him for a lot of reasons.
Before the third edition of the international tournament got underway, De Kruif, for the second time, was appointed the head coach of Bangladesh. However, this time, he was only assigned for the Bangabandhu Gold Cup.
Bangladesh’s progress to the final has left everyone wondering. In the event of a title win, what would the future hold for the Dutch coach? This is an answer that everyone must wait to find out.