SAFF Championship: Maldives starts favourite against under-performing Bangladesh in second Group B clash

Bangladesh and Maldives will conflict of their second Group B match on the Kanteerava Stadium right here on Sunday.

Javier Fernández Cabrera’s Bangladesh began its marketing campaign with a 2-0 defeat in opposition to Lebanon, with Hassan Maatouk and Khalil Bader getting on the scoresheet for the Cedars. The Bengal Tigers had been totally on the again foot and regarded out of concepts in opposition to Lebanon, with skilled gamers like Jamla Bhuyan, Topu Barman, and Sohel Rana wanting clueless for many components all through the match.

Cabrera stated his staff wanted to be extra scientific in entrance of the purpose, a living proof being Foysal Ahmad Fahim’s one-on-one miss in opposition to Lebanon, which might have introduced Bangladesh again into the match in opposition to Lebanon.

Having misplaced its first match, one other loss at the moment supplies an enormous blow to Bangladesh’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.

Maldives clinched a 2-0 win in opposition to Bhutan in its first match however was not at its finest when it got here to the general high quality of soccer. Aided by Bhutan’s inefficiency in changing its probabilities, Francesco Moriero stated that whereas he was proud of the win, he knew it wasn’t one of the best soccer from his staff.

A win at the moment in opposition to Bangladesh and Maldives may have six factors from two matches and shall be in a stable place to qualify for the semifinals.

The Red Snappers have one suspended participant forward of the Bangladesh match- Hassan Raif Ahmed, who was despatched off in opposition to Bhutan within the sixth minute of extra time within the second half after receiving two yellow playing cards.

Coming to latest clashes, Maldives has a greater file in opposition to Bangladesh, profitable 5 of the final six matches. Both groups final met in a pleasant match in March 2022, the place the Red Snappers beat the Bengal Tigers by a scoreline of 2-0.