FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Palestine team arrive in Dhaka

Published at : 24 March 2024, 09:00 am
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Palestine team arrive in Dhaka

Palestine national football team arrived Dhaka Saturday to play their Group I away match of the  FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against hosts Bangladesh on March 26 at 3:30 pm local time at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.

Bangladesh  team also returned home from Kuwait Friday night to play their home match against Palestine here.

After returned from Kuwait, Bangladesh team made their first practice session Saturday afternoon at the practice ground of the Basundhara Kings Arena here.

Earlier on Thursday night, Bangladesh National Football team suffered a huge 0-5 goals defeat against war-torn Arab nation Palestine in their 3nd Group I match of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait city.

It was the biggest defeat for Bangladesh against their much superior Arabian rivals Palestine in seven matches since their first meeting in Dhaka in 2006.

Bangladesh conceded defeat in every match except making 1-1 draw in their first meeting in the AFC Challenge Cup held in Dhaka in 2006.

Palestine is 86 steps ahead of Bangladesh in the current FIFA men's world ranking with a ranking  of 97 against the Bangladesh ranking 183.

In Thursday's match, striker Oday Dabbagh made a hattrick for Palestine scoring three goals in the 43rd, 53rd and 77th minutes while another forward Shehab Qumbor netted twice in the 45+2 and 49th minutes respectively.

Bangladesh boldly faced Palestine till the 40th minute of the first half to  restrict  their stronger opponents goalless, but, made  some mistakes in the dying moments of the first half.

In the 2nd half, Bangladesh were totally off-colour,  specially the defense line up, suffering a huge defeat.

Bangladesh custodian Mitul Marma made some good saves to deprive Palestine from more goals.

Ahead of the World Cup Qualifying match against Palestine, Bangladesh national team conducted  an intensive two-week long preparatory camp at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in the Saudi Arabian City of Al Taif from March 3 to 17 and also played two preparatory matches there against Sudan, but all of their efforts went in vain.

Earlier, Bangladesh suffered a 0-7 goals defeat against Australia in their first away match on November 16 and drew 1-1 with another Arabian nation Lebanon in their home match in Dhaka on Nov 21.

In the remaining two FIFA World Cup Qualifying round group matches, Bangladesh will play World Cup playing Australia in a home match on June 6 and will play Lebanon in the away match on June 11.

Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

Published at : 24 September 2023, 03:42 pm
Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

 

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:06 pm
Neymar quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:05 pm
Neymar ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.

PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:03 pm
PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Paris Saint-Germain got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday as a Kylian Mbappe penalty set them up for a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.

The French champions had dominated the first half without overly troubling the Dortmund defence, but they went ahead four minutes after the break when Mbappe scored a spot-kick awarded for a Niklas Suele handball.

Achraf Hakimi added a memorable second, and PSG could have won the Group F encounter by a far more handsome margin in the end.

The result immediately puts them in control of the group, after AC Milan and Newcastle United drew 0-0 earlier, and coach Luis Enrique will hope they can build on this performance when they visit the English side next in a fortnight.

"It was an almost perfect evening," said Luis Enrique.