Analyzing the Bangladesh squad for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The Blue Tigers will face their continental neighbors on June 7 in Doha.

After the narrow loss to Qatar, Indian football team looks to redeem itself against Bangladesh on Monday. The Bengal Tigers, however, are not any pushovers. They proved that with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Afghanistan in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on June 3. 

Jamie Day’s side caused an upset against India in their last meeting in 2019. They are more than capable of replicating their heroics again in the next one. Bangladesh have a talented squad of players to choose from – with the majority raring to go with superior match sharpness than some Indian stars. So, let’s look at how Bangladesh's squad is squaring up ahead of the game.

Goalkeepers:

Like the others, Bangladesh have also taken three goalkeepers in their squad for the World Cup qualifiers. Shahidul Alam has been the regular no.1 in recent times but seems to have been dethroned by youngster Anisur Rahman. To make things clear, Alam has made 22 appearances for Bangladesh, keeping nine clean sheets in the process.

However, Rahman has made only two appearances for the senior team till now, but is being rewarded for his heroics in the Bangladesh Premier League. For Basudhara Kings, Anisur played 15 games in this BPL season and kept nine clean-sheets – only conceding six goals. A stout goalkeeper with impressive reflexes, Rahman’s superior shot-stopping ability has seen him win over Jamie Day.

Alam is a goalkeeper with impressive reflexes too – but perhaps his age is the one starting to drag him down. Russel Liton is Bangladesh’s third-choice goalkeeper, the one who is at the last of the pecking order.

Defenders:

In their last four competitive games – Bangladesh have only conceded six goals. Five of them came in a single game to Qatar. They managed to restrict Afghanistan to a single goal and kept two clean sheets against Nepal last year. The Bengal Tigers, like India, are a defensively stubborn side with some impressive players at the back.

Centre-back Topu Barman is arguably the most impactful defender they have. The 26-year-old scored the equalizer against Afghanistan – but is a real rock at the back. A defender with an impressive game-reading to cut out attacks, strength to bully strikers and resilience to keep strong under pressure – Barman is the one holding their strong defensive line together.

Barman is also the eldest defender among the starters – with all those alongside him against Afghanistan very inexperienced. However, inexperience isn’t holding them back from being very good defenders. Tariq Kazi made his highly-anticipated debut against Afghanistan and is an upcoming superstar. Born in Finland, the right-back has experience of playing in Europe and is a smart defender.

He is defensively strong and the reason behind Basudhara Kings’ defensive record in the BPL. The 20-year-old is also a sparkling figure going forward, who can also deliver dangerous crosses into the middle. Rimon Hossein is another youngster who was given a chance by Jamie Day and only made his second appearance for the senior team against Afghanistan.

The 17-year-old has also gained his place in the national team, thanks to his impressive performances for Basudhara Kings. Along with helping them maintain that defensive record, he also managed two assists in 14 appearances for them. Rimon’s also got a spark going forward but defensively a hard nut to crack – making it difficult for any winger to go past him.

Riyadul Hasan is Barman’s partner-in-crime in the middle and another young but exciting product at the back. The Saif Sporting centre-back is a compact figure at the back with impressive reflexes to make clutch clearances & challenges to neutralize the threat.

Bangladesh’s remaining defenders in the squad are also mostly young talents. Habibur Sohag is the most experienced one in the team at 28-years of age. Yeasin Arafat, Rahmat Mia, Mehdi Hasan and Mohammed Emon are all below the age of 24 – but capable defenders waiting for the nod.

Midfielders:

Captain Jamal Bhuyan leads from the front in the midfield for Bangladesh. He enjoyed a loan spell at Mohammedan Sporting last season – assisting two goals in 14 appearances in the I-League. Bhuyan knows what it takes to play against Indian stars and with his experience of playing in Europe – he brings something different to Bangladesh.

Be it with his dangerous set-pieces or creative passing in the middle, Bhuyan can create plenty of chances. He is also an aggressive figure defensively and helps Bangladesh maintain a very strong defensive shape. Basudhara Kings star Manik Molla is a disciplined, sturdy defensive midfielder who can work well from a deeper role.

He has plenty of chemistry with Bhuyan and can hassle midfielders with his persistent tackles & sharp defending. Masuk Mia is another Basudhara Kings star to have impressed Day. He is another hard-working figure who can go the extra mile to help his side defend or get back the ball. 

Sohel Rana is another tenacious defensive midfielder in the Bangladesh side, well capable of covering for the others. Biplu Ahmed and Rakib Hossain are likely to be used as impactful substitutes when Bangladesh are chasing a goal.

Forwards:

Of course, Bangladesh haven’t scored too many goals over their last few games – but they possess some clinical strikers who don’t really need many chances to make a difference. No.9 and Basudhara Kings striker Matin Mia has two goals in nine appearances for them. He’s a proactive striker who can cause trouble with his link-up play and clever work in swift breaks.

Youngster Mohammed Jewel seems to be the new rising star under Jamie Day for the Bengal Tigers. He made a bright impact and even assisted Barman’s goal against Afghanistan in his national team debut. The 23-year-old’s ability to win key duels inside the box and impressive pace make him a unique threat.

Mehdi Hasan might not have made many appearances for Bangladesh – but he has been impressive at the domestic level. The 23-year-old scored six goals and registered three assists in 14 BPL appearances for Chittagong Abahani this season and is an unpredictable threat in the frontline. With his pace and clever work in the final third, he can cause defenders a lot of problems.

Uttar Baridhara captain Sumon Reza also enjoyed an impressive BPL season with five goals and three assists in 14 appearances. He also possesses a stark goal-scoring threat up front. 

Mohammed Ibrahmin is probably Bangladesh’s most dangerous midfielder/winger on the attacking third. He contributed to three goals in 14 appearances for Basudhara this season – including two assists. A feisty figure going forward, he possesses the ability to carve out chances easily and deliver impressive passes to the strikers.

Sheikh Russel winger Mohammed Abdullah scored five goals in 16 appearances in the BPL and possesses another stark goal-scoring option if Jamie Day needs him. Mahbubur Sufil is another blooming figure who can be played up front to cause defenders problems with his movement & precise finishing if needed. 

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