The senior men’s football team is all set to host two FIFA International Friendlies against Bangladesh at the Changlingmithang Stadium. The first match is scheduled for tomorrow. During the pre-match press conference today, the head coaches of both teams emphasised that such international matches are crucial for boosting players’ confidence and helping them perform better in future tournaments.
Twenty-five-year-old Nima Wangdi will captain the Bhutanese team in the friendly matches. Nima stated that the tournament will help their team perform well in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers next year.
He added that the team had about three to four days to prepare for the friendlies, as most players are currently engaged with their club teams.
Bhutan is currently ranked 182nd in the latest FIFA rankings, two places above Bangladesh.
“As we have qualified for the AFC group stage, we are preparing for that. We hope to play more friendly matches since we have many young players in the squad, to boost their confidence and improve team chemistry,” said Nima Wangdi, captain.
“I did my best, and I will do my best tomorrow as well. We are challengers, and Bangladesh has prepared for three years for this match. I think they are a difficult opponent. To win, we have a high level of motivation since it is our home ground. Not just me, but the whole team will do our best,” said Atsushi Nakamura, head coach.
Similarly, the Bangladeshi team hopes to perform well despite facing challenges in adjusting to the climate.
“We came here to win both games. Official competitions from March until the end of next year are important. I think all the teams, including Bhutan, are among our priorities for the three windows to perform well in the upcoming tournament in 2025,” said Javier Fernandez Cabrera Martin, head coach.
“I expect these will be two tough matches because we have not played a match in three months. Yes, we did have a training camp, but we are not at the same stage as Bhutan’s players. So, I expect this kind of match will be very good. Overall, I think we are ready to face Bhutan,” said Jamal Bhuyan, captain.
The Bhutanese team has not won against Bangladesh in eight years. Both teams have a squad of 23 players for the two friendly matches, with the second match scheduled for Sunday.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sherub Dorji
