No Eleta in Bangladesh SAFF squad

Forward Eleta Kingsley missed out on the 23-man squad Bangladesh Football Federation announced on Friday for the upcoming SAFF Championship 2023 and the international friendly match against Cambodia scheduled for next Thursday.

The Nigerian-born Bangladeshi forward made his debut in a Bangladesh jersey against Seychelles last March. Bangladesh national team coach Javier Cabrera had called him in the camp after the friendly match against Seychelles. He was also included in the 30-man list for the initial camp.

However, the 33-year-old striker did not make it to the final squad after the team’s residential camp was held at the Bashundhara Kings Arena.

Even though Kingsley was left out of the squad, coach Javier kept faith on Sumon Reza.

Explaining the reasons for taking Sumon instead of Eleta in the squad, the coach said, the team has been formed considering tough competition, capacity and quality.

Masuk Mia Jony, Tutul Hossain Badshah, Shahriar Emon, Sazzad Hossain, Rimon Hossain, and Mehedi Hasan Srabon were also excluded from the previous list.

National football team’s captain Jamal Bhuiyan said in a press conference, “The coach watched the games and practices. He took the decisions on what he thought was the best for the team. We have to plan with those who are now in the team.”

Bangladesh national team will leave for Cambodia on Saturday afternoon to play a FIFA international friendly match as a part of the preparation for the SAFF Championship.

On June 16, after the friendly match, the national team will leave Cambodia for Bengaluru to take part in the SAFF Championship scheduled to be held from June 21 to August 4.

Bangladesh, drawing in group B along with Lebanon, Maldives, and Bhutan, will start their SAFF Championship campaign by taking on Lebanon, who are ranked 99th in the FIFA rankings.

The match is scheduled to

be held on June 22.

The other two group matches will be held on June 25 and 28 as the men in red and green will play against Maldives on June 25 at 4 pm (BST) and Bhutan on June 28 at 8 pm (BST).

All the matches will be held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, India.