Bangladesh target good performance against Indonesia
Bangladesh have been eliminated from the title race in the FIFA ASEAN Cup. However, the red-green team are looking at an opportunity to test their mettle against hosts Indonesia in the last match of the group stage today.
The match is not only the last formality of the tournament for Bangladesh, but also an important part of the preparation for the SAFF Championship to be held at home in November, according to Bangladesh players and coaching staff. Bangladesh will take the field against Indonesia at 6:30pm (Bangladesh Standard Time).
After being eliminated from the tournament after losing 1-0 to Singapore on Monday, Jamal Bhuyan now wants to give a good performance against the powerful Indonesia. The match will be aured live by private television sports channel T Sports.
After the last practice yesterday, Captain Jamal Bhuyan said, “The entire team struggled in the first match.
However, we played very well in the second match and our confidence has increased. Indonesia will play at home and we know that they will dominate. However, we have a plan. We have worked on their set-pieces and two dangerous forwards. We have to be very careful.”
Coach Thomas Dooley admitted that the challenge ahead of Bangladesh against Indonesia is difficult. He called on his players to give it their all, citing the opponent’s large squad, individual skills and footballers playing in various European leagues.
Dooley said, ‘Indonesia has millions of players and their stars are playing in Germany, Holland and Italy. Their defenders are 20 centimeters taller than me. They have strong players in every position. So we have to be careful about everyone. But we have to fight. We are playing for Bangladesh and every player has to give their best.’
Dooley is also reluctant to accept criticism about the morale of the Bangladesh team. Rather, he sees presenting themselves as underdogs as a tactic to create mental pressure on the opponent.
In Dooley’s words, ‘The players are not motivated-that is completely wrong. If we say in the media that we are underdogs, then maybe they will take it lightly and not play 100 percent. This is how underdogs surprise big teams.
For example, even a team from the lower division can sometimes defeat Bayern Munich.’ He added, ‘These matches are for learning. So that we can win the SAFF Championship when we return home.”
A past match against Indonesia could also be a place of confidence for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh drew 0-0 in the last meeting between the two teams in Bandung on June 1, 2022. The red-green team held Indonesia back thanks to a superb defence, as well as the skill of goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico.
If they want to repeat that performance in Jakarta after four years, Bangladesh’s defence will have to play near-perfect football again.
