Dhaka – Three foreign teams-Laos, Tajikistan and Philippines-reached Sylhet on Saturday to participate the six-nation 5th Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football Tournament beginning here at Sylhet District Stadium on Monday (October 1).Hosts Bangladesh will play Laos in the opening match on Monday at 6:30 pm (local time).Bangladesh is the first team to reach Sylhet Friday afternoon to participate in the prestigious Bangabandhu Gold Cup, named after father of the nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman.
The Laos team, which arrived in Dhaka Friday evening, reached Sylhet Saturday afternoon to play the inaugural match with hosts Bangladesh.
Two other foreign teams-the Philippines and Tajikistan–arrived Dhaka on Saturday and reached Sylhet on the same day. Middle East nation Palestine is due to reach Dhaka Saturday night and will fly for Sylhet Sunday noon while the defending champions and Himalayan nation Nepal will be the last foreign team to reach Dhaka Sunday noon and fly for Sylhet in the afternoon.
The group matches of the 12-day of the heavy weight International Football Tournament of the country will begin in Sylhet, but, later it will also held at two other venues-Bir Shrestha Ruhul Amin Stadium in Cox’s Bazar and Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
Six teams-split into two groups– will initially compete in the first phase in Sylhet from Oct 1-6 al at 6:30 pm.
Participating teams are:
Group A – holders Nepal, Palestine and Tajikistan Group B – Laos, Philippines and hosts Bangladesh.
Later, top two teams from each of two groups will play in the semifinals in Cox’s Bazar on October 9 and 10 and the final match billed for Oct 12 at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to be the chief in the final on October 12 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.UNB
