Bangladesh in Group of Death

Bangladesh have been placed in Group A alongside defending champions India, hosts Nepal and Pakistan as the groupings of the SAFF Championship was held at the Soaltee Crown Plaza in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.
Group B is relatively easier one as it consists of runners-up Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. The participating teams were placed in three separate pots for the draw with champions India and runners-up Afghanistan kept in one pot so that they do not face each other before the semifinal stage. The two beaten semifinalists of last edition -- Nepal and Maldives -- were in the second pot while the remaining four teams including Bangladesh were in the third pot.
Bangladesh will face Nepal on the opening day's second match at the Dashrath Stadium on September 1 and will take on India and Pakistan on September 3 and 5 respectively. Two matches will take place each day in the group stages, up to September 6, the first one starting at 3:30pm and the second one starting at 6:30pm Bangladesh time.
The 2003 champions, Bangladesh, were eliminated from the group stages in the last edition in 2011 after playing a goalless draw against Pakistan, losing 1-0 against Nepal and 1-3 against Maldives. But this time Bangladesh have set their sights on the final of and roped in Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif, who will get two months to prepare his side.
“We have been placed in the Group of Death where we have to face two favourites India and Nepal. From my point of view, Afghanistan got lucky in the groupings. Anyway we will have to play our game,” De Kruif was quoted as saying in Thailand, according to a BFF press release.
In head to head encounters in the SAFF championship, Bangladesh have beaten India once, drew twice and lost three times in the six meetings so far. Bangladesh have won twice and lost twice against Pakistan while they have won three times against Nepal and lost only once.
Local coach Saiful Bari Titu, who guided Mohammedan to Super Cup triumph this season, believes Bangladesh have the ability to play in the semifinals as there is nothing to be frightened about five-time champions India and hosts Nepal.
“No doubt, Bangladesh's group is a tough one but I don't see any reason to be afraid as you have to beat anyone if you want to be champions,” said Titu, the former national coach. “India may be considered the top side in the group, but considering the most recent performances, Bangladesh should beat hosts Nepal and Pakistan to ensure a place in the semifinals as the second team from the group,” said Titu adding that if Bangladesh do move to the semifinals, then it would be easier for them to get into the final as they would have played some hard matches already in the group-stages.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will play their first practice match against Osotspa Saraburi FC, the fifth-place finisher in the Thai Premier League, at the Saraburi Central Stadium in Thailand today. Bangladesh are supposed to play another practice match on August 3 against an age-group side.