Jamal & co under pressure after women’s team show

Bangladesh national men’s football team skipper Jamal Bhuyan admitted that they were under pressure to win their upcoming FIFA friendly matches against Nepal and Cambodia following the women’s team’s humbling of India on Tuesday.

In their SAFF Women’s Championship 2022 clash against India, the women’s team breezed past five-time Champions India with ease in a 3-0 win, which was their third in a row. Jamal said those performances have put them under pressure by creating expectations.

“The girls played fantastic football against India. Their win has formed expectations from us, which will create pressure on us. We will try our best and I am hopeful about winning,” Jamal said in a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Bangladesh will face Cambodia on September 22, and Nepal on September 27. Ahead of the matches, they left Bangladesh on Wednesday night.

Bangladesh are currently ranked 192 in the FIFA rankings, and Jamal understood the importance of winning these matches.

“Every match is important to me. If we can win these two, we will improve in the rankings,” he said.

Bangladesh squad:

Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman Zico, Ashraful Islam Rana, Mahfuz Hasan Pritom Defenders: Yeasin Arafat, Bishwanath Ghosh, MD Rimon Hossain, Tariq Kazi, MD Tutul Hosain Badsha, Riyadul Hasan, MD Isa Faysal, MD Rahmat Mia Midfielders: Masuk Miah Zoni, Biplo Ahamed, Jamal Bhuyan, Rakib Hossain, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Sohel Rana, Hemonta Vinsent Biswas Forwards: Suman Reza, Mohammad Ibrahim, Matin Miah, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Sazzad Hossen