Dhaka – The 32-member Bangladesh Football team will fly for Nepal Tuesday morning to participate in the six-nation SAFF U-15 Championship beginning on Thursday at ANFA Complex in Kathmandu with an initial target of reaching semifinals.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 hosts Nepal in the other opening day’s fixture at 3:30 pm.All the South Asian countries except Sri Lanka are taking part in the meet.
In a pre-tour press conference at BFF office on Monday afternoon, Coach of Bangladesh U-15 team Mostofa Anwar Parvez Babu said, “We 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. Bangladesh team comprises 23 players and nine officials.
Pakistan, which is 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.
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.
Ahead of the SAFF, Bangladesh U-15 team made their practices here on Monday.Bangladesh women’s emerged champions in the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship in Bhutan early this month while another Bangladesh Women’s team 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 agood result in Nepal.UNB
