Upbeat Bangladesh face desperate Maldives

Bangladesh football team made a brilliant start in the ongoing Saff Championship getting four points from first two games and will be eager to win in the third match against hosts Maldives Thursday.

Bangladesh, who beat Sri Lanka in the first match, are flying high with confidence as they held strong India to 1-1 in the last match, despite losing Bishwanath Ghosh to red card and a win against another higher-ranked team will be one more giant stride towards the final. 

The match will commence at 10pm Bangladesh time and will be telecast live on T Sports. 

On the other hand, hosts Maldives, one of the pre-tournament favorites along with India, made a disastrous start as they lost to low-ranked Nepal in the first game and another loss will almost eliminate them from the tournament where five teams will play once against each other before the top two lock horns in the final. 

Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan said they are confident of winning against the hosts.

“All of us know it’s an important match for Maldives. I don't care about Maldives, rather I am focusing on my own team,” said Jamal to the media Wednesday.

“We know it’s a home match for Maldives, they will get the support from the local crowd but my team doesn't care about these things…we are only thinking of getting something good out of the game. We are looking forward to the next game but I don’t care about Maldives,” he added.

Bangladesh however, will miss the services of their two dependable players - Bishwanath and Rakib Hossain - for suspension as defender Bishwanath got straight red card against India while hardworking winger Rakib received one yellow card each in the previous two matches. 

Bangladesh coach Oscar Bruzon, who got the team’s responsibility on interim basis just few days before the tournament in place of Jamie Day, promised the side will produce an attacking brand of football against Maldives. 

“Maldives like attacking play, I also like it. Bangladesh are used to defending deep but on this occasion we look for open, beautiful football that will attract the spectators,” said Bruzon, who has the experience of coaching in Maldives.

The Spaniard also said his side would have preferred an afternoon match but has the belief on his charges that they will cope well under floodlights in the late evening game, and the raucous home crowd. 

Maldives coach Ali Suzain is desperate to win what has become a do-or-die match for them, but he is well aware of the opposition’s strengths.

“Bangladesh’s attack is different. Especially against India they tried to play in counter attacks. Their work rate and speed is impressive. We also have to be aware against their set-pieces,” said Suzain, the former Maldives player.

Maldives are not only desperate but also got an advantage as they enjoyed five days of rest after their disappointing loss against Nepal, against whom they enjoyed 62% of possession but failed to yield a goal and lost due to the 86th minute goal of Manish Dangi.

Bangladesh got just two days of rest following their pulsating match against India.