DHAKA, Aug 19, 2024 (BSS)- Motivated Bangladesh U-20 national football team 
will start their SAFF U-20 Championship campaign when they face Sri Lanka in 
their opening group A match scheduled to be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at ANFA 
Complex in Nepal.

The match kicks off at 3.15 pm (BST).

Prior to the first match, the Bangladesh team found very much confident and 
the boys in red and green wants to start the tournament with win against Sri 
Lanka, who earlier lost their group opening match against host Nepal.

Ahead of the first match, Bangladesh head coach AKM Maruful Haque said: 
"Before arriving in Nepal we said we want to become champions in this 
tournament .... our team played final in the last tournament .... I have 
noticed the sacrifice hard work and dedication among the boys and I think we 
are still in the right track ... the boys already worked on weak and strong 
points of Sri Lanka and I shared our game plan and strategy with them. As the 
first match is always important, so I hope we'll able to make a winning start 
in the championship." 

Bangladesh team captain Mehedi Hasan Srabon said the first match is always 
important and everybody expect to start the tournament with win. 

Srabon said Sri Lanka is a good team and they are not taking their rival 
lightly. The Bangladesh skipper thinks that winning the first match take the 
team more close to the final. 

He also hopeful to snatch a good result for the country and able to show 
maximum effort in the ground. 

Bangladesh, the three times runners-up in 2017, 2019 and 2022 edition of the 
championship, will meet host Nepal in their ultimate group match on August 
22.

Bangladesh U-20 team - Mehedi Hasan Srabon, Asif, Ismail Hossain Mahin, Imran 
Khan, Mohammad Azizul Hoque, Ananto, Shakil Ahad Topu, Rajib Hossain, Rostom 
Islam Dukhu Mia, Parvej Ahmed, Kamacai Marma Aky, Asadul Islam Sakib, Chandon 
Roy, Ashraful Haque Asif, Mohsin Ahmed, Iftiar Hossain, Rabby Hossen Rahul, 
Razu Ahmed Zisan, Hossain Mohammad Arian, Asadul Molla, Iftasam Rahman Jidan, 
Mirajul Islam, Piash Ahmmed Nova and Moinul Islam Moin.