The Bangladesh national football team will play a practice match against a Select XI comprising local and foreign players at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 5:00pm today.
Bangladesh are scheduled to leave for the Saff tournament on August 24 and have been short of match practice ahead of the championships. Pakistan canceled its tour to Bangladesh and the national side were unable to play Thailand on a recent tour. Instead, Bangladesh played a match against Osotasapa - the fifth ranked side from the Thailand Premier League – and one against the Thai U-19 team.
Bangladesh will play two further matches against today’s opposition on August 20 and 23. Bangladesh’s group round rivals – India, Nepal and Pakistan – are also preparing for the tournament. All India Football Federation confirmed an International Friendly for their national team against Tajikistan tomorrow at the 20 Years of Independence Stadium in Khujand.
Pakistan, coached by George Kottan, is touring Thailand and the Football Association of Thailand announced the schedule for the trip. Pakistan will face Thailand U-23 – the reigning SEA Games champions – tomorrow. Next day they will face the Thai U-19, before taking on Thailand on August 18.
Nepal team has completed their Bahrain tour and camped in Manama for eleven days. During their camp in Bahrain, Nepal played a friendly match against Bahrain Olympic team on August 8 and were defeated 3-0. After completing the 11 day camp in Bahrain today, Nepal is scheduled to fly to Kuwait where they will play Al Rifa cub tomorrow. Nepal will head home on August 25.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is still trying to arrange a match before the departure of the team. “We are trying to communicate with Malaysia. Let’s see what happens as the time is very short,” said Abu Naeem Shohag, the general secretary of BFF.
Meanwhile Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka early today and BFF will desperately seek his direction for the final touches before their departure to Nepal.
