Bangladesh face Pakistan again with final in sight, 21 years after Karachi triumph

Even amid the holiday atmosphere, the area around Dhaka’s National Stadium was buzzing with excitement yesterday.

Fans were searching for tickets, peering through the VIP gate and eagerly watching highlights on YouTube. Football fever seemed to be returning to the city in a way reminiscent of the old days.

Bangladesh will face Pakistan at 8:30pm today for a place in the final of the SAFF Championship. Earlier, India and Bhutan will meet in the first semi-final at 3pm.

The excitement off the pitch was also evident during Bangladesh’s training session yesterday. As journalists gathered at Bashundhara Kings Arena at 5:30pm, Hamza Chowdhury and his teammates were training in high spirits. Their confidence appeared to have received a major boost from the 4–0 victory over Sri Lanka.

Thomas Dooley’s men spent around an hour and a half training, with smiles, light-hearted banter and fast-paced ball work. Behind the cheerful atmosphere, however, the players’ expressions reflected their determination to win today’s match.

Today’s match is about more than just a place in the semi-final. It offers Bangladesh an opportunity to end a 21-year wait to reach the SAFF Championship final. Bangladesh last played in the final in 2005. On 14 December that year, they secured their place in the title decider by beating Pakistan in the semi-final at Karachi’s People’s Stadium.

Since then, Bangladesh’s campaign has ended at different stages, sometimes in the group phase and sometimes in the semi-finals. Despite coming close to the final, they have not managed to reach it again.

Now, Pakistan stand in their way once more. Twenty-one years after defeating the same opponents to reach the final, Bangladesh have another opportunity to do so by beating them again.

Bangladesh coach Thomas Dooley knows the task will not be easy. Considering Pakistan’s strengths and recent performances, he is approaching the match with caution.

“Pakistan are probably our toughest opponents at the moment. They have had good results against the Philippines and Vietnam in the Asian Cup. Five of their players who came from abroad have experience playing in Europe. So, we cannot afford to underestimate them,” he said.

Among Pakistan’s overseas-based players, goalkeeper Yousuf Butt is perhaps the best-known. He plays for Danish fourth-tier club Ishøj IF. Defender Abdullah Iqbal represents Mjällby, a club in Sweden’s top division. Midfielder Adil Nabi plays for Panachaiki FC in the third tier of Greek football.

Forward Abdul Arshad plays for Danish second-tier club Kolding IF, while another forward, Mikel Abdullah, is with Ilkeston Town in the seventh tier of English football.

These players could pose a significant challenge for Bangladesh.

Pakistan captain and goalkeeper Yousuf Butt sounded confident when discussing his team’s prospects.

“There is a lot of talk about Hamza Chowdhury. But we also have good players in our team. Hopefully, they will be able to step up and help the team on the pitch. Football is not an individual game; it is a team game,” he said.

Amid the celebrations following the emphatic victory over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh defender Saad Uddin suffered an ankle injury that ruled him out of the rest of the SAFF Championship. However, the return of Topu Barman and Bishwanath Ghosh to training has offered the team some relief. Having two experienced defenders back in training is an important boost for Bangladesh ahead of the semi-final.

Bangladesh hold the edge in the head-to-head record between the two sides. Of their 17 meetings, Bangladesh have won seven, while Pakistan have won six. The remaining four matches ended in draws.

Both teams will be eager to win today. But beyond all the calculations, statistics and discussions, Bangladesh have just one objective: to beat Pakistan and reach the final. Experienced midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan has also said that the team’s entire focus is now on the battle on the pitch.

Football fans in Bangladesh believe that if the team can reproduce its performance against Sri Lanka, reaching the final should not be difficult.

For Bangladesh, then, today’s match is about more than just another fixture. It is an opportunity to finally reach a long-awaited final.

The use of VAR technology will add another dimension to the match. It is being introduced for the first time in the history of the SAFF Championship.