India Know Your Rivals: Bangladesh Football Team

The Bengal Tigers will be a rather tricky challenge for the Blue Tigers as they look to grab a much-needed win at Kolkata.

After proving to the world that they’re no longer the minnows they once were, India aim to get their first win of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against neighbours Bangladesh Football Team. However, The Bengal Tigers are themselves a hard nut to crack.

Don’t let their low FIFA ranking fool you! They are strong and compact defensively, with the tenacity to see through some rough storms. They’ll be happy to see out a draw or sneak a win to spoil the Blue Tigers' party and consolidate themselves as the ultimate underdogs of the group.

Recent Performance

Bangladesh’s start to the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers was also pretty sour, as they lost 0-1 to Afghanistan in their opener last month. However, they’ve made a pretty solid comeback since by defeating Bhutan in back-to-back games in preparation for the qualifier against India on the 15th October.

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They defeated them 4-1 and 2-0 respectively at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, proving themselves to be more than ready for the fight against the Blue Tigers.

About The Team

Bangladesh Football Team, have had a very static footballing history, having been unable to extinguish the cobwebs holding back the development of the beautiful game in the country. They’ve never gone close to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, but did qualify for the AFC Asian Cup back in 1980!

Since then, however, they’ve never qualified for Asia’s biggest tournament and saw their biggest success during the first years of the 21st century. The Bengal Tigers won the SAFF Championship in 2003, which is incidentally their only major trophy ever won. They also made the SAFF Championship finals in 1999 and 2005, only to come up short.

The Coach

The head coach will be a key figure behind the Bengal Tigers during the clash at Kolkata

Jamie Day has been leading the Bangladesh Football Team for well over a year now, having helped them gain qualification to the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers since coming in. A former Arsenal youth product, the Englishman had managed sides like Wellington United and Gillingham (first-team coach) before taking a trip to the Asian minnows.

He’s since helped Bangladesh football take a step closer towards being recognized on the world stage. Having won seven games in 12 as their manager, Day has done a pretty good job to build a strong base for them. He’s turned the Bengal Tigers into a compact unit who are extremely difficult to break down. While they might win matches by the narrowest of margins, Day has at least made sure they’re producing positive results to climb up the footballing foodchain.

Players To Watch

Nabib Newaji Jibon

The main threat in Bangladesh’s attack, Nabib Newaji Jibon has some knowledge of certain Indian players, after having played against Minerva Punjab and Chennaiyin FC in the AFC Cup earlier this year. Indeed, he netted against the I-league side and impressed with three goals and three assists in the competition for Dhaka Abahani.

A clinical striker who has the physical tenacity and intuitive hunger for goals, he’s one to be wary off for the Blue Tigers. Be it his unpredictable movement or impressive striking ability, Jibon won’t really miss much if given the opportunity. Bangladesh probably won’t create many, but their star striker doesn’t really need many to make his mark.

Sohel Rana

Rana is an energetic player and has the ability to impact the game at both ends

Another blooming talent in the Bangladeshi side, Sohel Rana gained quite a lot of continental exposure by appearing in the AFC Cup earlier this year. While normally a left-winger with the pace and trickery to cause problems, he can also slot into centrally to help his side absorb pressure. An energetic player with enough bite in his game to oust oppositions and bewilder them with his skills, Rana has the ability to impact the game on both ends.

As he’ll look to limit India’s attacking threat by helping his side absorb the pressure, the 24-year-old will also burst forward on counter-attacks, trying to create goalscoring chances. He’s quite the ace in the hole for Bangladesh and a threat India should not take lightly.

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Yeasin Khan

Bangladesh have maintained a pretty good defensive record in 2019 and that’s in debt to Yeasin Khan’s influence at the back. The 25-year-old’s their defensive leader, using his impressive attributes to thwart the attacks thrown at the Bengal Tigers. He’s powerful enough to oust players physically, while his aerial attributes and game-reading skills make it a tough task to get past the strong defender.

Moreover, he’s also a big threat on set-pieces thanks to his powerful heading ability, giving him a brace against Bhutan recently. An impactful player on both sides of the pitch, Yeasin embodies Bangladesh’s unruly spirit.

What To Expect

It’d be foolish for India to underestimate Bangladesh’s threat. They boast an unbreakable defensive shape and love to frustrate oppositions by sitting back in numbers. They’ll happily park the bus to infuriate the Blue Tigers and look to catch them at their most vulnerable by marching forward in numbers to launch successful counter-attacks. Don’t be surprised if they go back home with a point next week.