Dhaka – A 32-member Bangladesh Football team reached at the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Tuesday to participate in the six-nation SAFF U-15 Championship which will begin from Thursday at ANFA Complex with an initial target of reaching to the semifinals.
The team left the Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka in the morning and reached safely at Kathmandu by a BG flight at noon.
The Bangladesh team, which comprised of 23 players and nine officials, were staying at Hotel Pilgrems in Thamel area of the Nepalese capital and taking rest as there was no training session on the day.
Bangladesh, which was placed in Group A of the SAFF U-15 Championship with the Maldives and hosts Nepal, will play their first match against the Maldives on Saturday (October 27) at 3:30 pm and will face Nepal on Monday (October 29), at the same time and venue.
Two arch-rivals–India and Pakistan-will play the inaugural match on Thursday (October 25) at 11:30 am at the same venue while the Maldives will face host Nepal in the other opening day’s fixture at 3:30 pm.All the South Asian countries except Sri Lanka were taking part in the meet.
Pakistan, which was put in Group B with India and Bhutan, will play Bhutan at 11:30 am on October 27 while India will meet Bhutan on October 29 at 11:30 am.
Earlier, in a pre-tour press conference at BFF office on Monday afternoon, coach of Bangladesh U-15 team, Mostofa Anwar Parvez Babu said “We have prepared the team for two and half months and our initial target is to play in the semifinals, despite we have no clear idea about the opponents.”
Bangladesh Team leader, Mohammad Sabbir Hosain and Team Manager, Amit Khan Shuvro also spoke on the occasion.
Both the semifinals will be held on November 1 while the final match will commence on November 3 at 3:30 pm at the same venue.
Bangladesh women’s emerged champions in the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship in Bhutan early this month while another Bangladesh Women’s team is now in Tajikistan to play in the AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers and this is the time for Bangladesh U-15 boys’ team to make a good result in Nepal.
