Bangladesh face Pakistan in the SAFF Championship semifinal at the National Stadium in Dhaka at 8:30pm on Saturday. A victory will send the hosts to the SAFF final for the first time since 2005. Excitement among home fans is at its peak. Defending champions India play Bhutan in the first semifinal at 3:00pm on the same day.
Bangladesh reached the last four with a 100 percent record in the group stage. After defeating Bhutan 1-0 in their opener, they swept Sri Lanka 4-0 in their final group match. Group A champions Bangladesh scored five goals without conceding any. Shamit Shome, Hamza Choudhury, Farhan Ali Wahed, and Rakib Hossain scored against Sri Lanka, with 19-year-old left-winger Farhan’s solo goal drawing special attention. However, right-back Saad Uddin has been ruled out of the entire tournament with an ankle injury.
Opponents Pakistan cannot be taken lightly. After opening with a 3-2 defeat to India, they beat the Maldives 3-0 to advance to the semifinals. Five overseas-based players who missed the group stage because it fell outside the FIFA international window will be available for the semifinal. Coached by Nolberto Solano, Pakistan have reached the SAFF semifinals four times previously but have never advanced to the final.
History favors Bangladesh, who are undefeated against Pakistan in Dhaka with three wins and two draws in five meetings. Bangladesh won 1-0 in their last encounter in 2018. In the 2005 SAFF semifinal in Karachi, Bangladesh also beat Pakistan 1-0 via a 44th-minute penalty from Mohammad Sujon. Bangladesh are ranked 182nd in FIFA rankings, while Pakistan are 197th. Bangladesh won their only SAFF title at home in 2003, making this run a major relief after group-stage exits in six of the last eight editions.
Bangladesh coach Thomas Dooley considers the match a “final,” describing Pakistan as one of the best teams and noting that their players understand the game well due to playing at a high level in Europe. Midfielder Jamal Bhuyan said that after the big win over Sri Lanka, the team’s full focus is on the SAFF semifinal as they look to end a 21-year wait in front of a packed stadium tonight.
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