Javier Cabrera's troops are brimming with confidence, having secured a semifinal berth for the first time in 14 years in the regional football extravaganza. The booters now have their sights on the final -- which Bangladesh last reached almost two decades ago in Pakistan in 2005

Bangladesh have already achieved their SAFF Championship objective -- reaching the semifinal this edition. But following inspirational performances in the final two group games, against Maldives and Bhutan, Jamal Bhuiyan and Co. are now aiming to go even further as they take on Kuwait, arguably the toughest team in the tournament, in Saturday’s first semifinal at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

This achievement is the outcome of hard work, said defender Tapu Barman.

Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera will make his last attempt to figure out the right combination and fine-tune playing eleven before the upcoming SAFF Championship when his charges take on hosts Cambodia in Phnom Penh today.

“Our first target is to qualify for the semifinals,” Jamal told reporters on Sunday during the reporting of the players of the preliminary squad, which will start training tomorrow at Bashundhara Kings Arena.

Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan was dropped from the starting eleven in the second FIFA friendly against Seychelles at Sylhet District Stadium on Tuesday.

“I am in touch with Sol de Mayo and I’m trying to go to Argentina in May,” Jamal told The Daily Star in Sylhet on Monday, ahead of the second FIFA friendly against Seychelles. “I don’t want to waste the opportunity to play in Argentina.” 

Being an Asian nation, Bangladesh rarely get the opportunity to play international football matches against nations from outside the continent. Bangladesh are set to play against the East African nation Seychelles at the Sylhet District Stadium today which will only be their fifth encounter against a team from Africa. 

It has more or less been clear that Seychelles national football squad are full of amateur booters who play at the weekend after managing their individual jobs but the fact that they earn nothing through the sport is perhaps a quite surprising to the football-loving people of Bangladesh, who are used to seeing the country's national booters being paid millions of takas per season.

Ahead of the matches first of two FIFA friendlies against Seychelles, Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan feels the need for having naturalised Nigerian footballer Eleta Kingsley in the squad as the 33-year-old forward is counting hours to make his debut for Bangladesh.

Jamal Bhuiyan’s dream of playing in Argentina’s third division league apparently came to an end as the Bangladesh captain was denied release by his club Sheikh Russel KC.

Even though Jamal initially denied the report, he admitted to The Daily Star on Tuesday that that he did get an offer from Sol De Mayo. However, his contract with Sheikh Russel is apparently a barrier in accepting the offer.

It might have been tough to find even a single Bangladesh football fan who expected anything big from the national football team when a depleted squad left the country last month.

Bangladesh were looking forward to ending their Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign on a high ahead of today’s third and final group-stage match against hosts Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh began their qualification round of the Asian Cup with 2-0 defeat to Bahrain in the two sides’ Group E openers at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur today.

Bangladesh are set to return to the qualification round of the Asian Cup after a lengthy 16-year gap when they take on mighty Bahrain in one of the Group E openers at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur today.

After a goalless draw in an international friendly against Indonesia on Wednesday, Bangladesh reached Kuala Lumpur today to gear up for the Asian Cup Qualifiers, starting from June 8. Bangladesh were placed in Group E alongside Malaysia, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.

Bangladesh national football team had a good preparation for the upcoming Asian Cup Qualifiers when a depleted side played out a goalless draw against Indonesia in a FIFA friendly in Bandung, Indonesia tonight.