Bangabandhu Gold Cup: Captain Jamal Bhuiyan joins squad
Jamal, who recently tied the knot in Denmark, landed in Dhaka on Thursday night.
Bangladesh National Football team captain Jamal Bhuiyan joined the squad on the third day of residential camp for upcoming six-nation Bangabandhu International Gold Cup Football Tournament-2020 on Friday.
Jamal, who recently tied the knot in Denmark, landed in Dhaka on Thursday night. Bangladesh's Head Coach Jamie Day and nine booters of Federation Cup Champions Bashundhara Kings joined the squad on Thursday.
The seven-day residential camp started Wednesday and the players had their practice session at Lt Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club ground here on Friday's morning.
Dhaka Abahani forward Nabib Newaz Ziban, who had been suffering from fever, is yet to join the squad, confirmed Team Manager Satyajit Das Rupu.
Bangladesh have been put in tough Group A with holders Palestine and Sri Lanka, will start their campaign taking on Palestine in the opening match on January 15 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here. They will play Sri Lanka on January 19 in their other Group A match.
The Group B team comprises three African countries – Burundi, Mauritius and Seychelles – and Burundi will play Mauritius in the opening Group B match on January 16 at 5pm at the same venue.
Two top teams from each of the group will play in the semifinals. Group A champions will play Group B runners-up in the first semifinal on January 22 while Group B champions will face Group A runners-up in the other semifinal on January 23. The final match is slated for January 25.
Bangladesh are 187th in the FIFA rankings while Palestine are 106th, Burundi 151st, Mauritius 172nd, Seychelles 200th and Sri Lanka are 205th.
The participating teams will start arriving in Dhaka from January 13. Defending champions Palestine will be the first team to reach Dhaka on the day.
The 23-member squad: Goalkeepers- Shahidul Alam Sohel, Ashraful Islam Rana, Anisur Rahman; defenders - Topu Barman, Sushanto Tripura, Yeasin Khan, Rahmat Mia, Rayhan Hasan, Riyadul Hasan, Tutul Hosain Badsha; midfielders - Rabiul Hasan, Saad Uddin, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Jamal Bhuiyan, Sohel Rana, Manik Hossain Mollah; forwards- Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Bishwanath Gosh, Mohammad Ibrahim, Motin Miah, Nabib Newaz Ziban, Arifur Rahman, Rakib Hossain.
