International U-23 friendly Bangladesh 0-1 Nepal

Sylhet 1Huge spectators who watch Bangladesh vs Nepal Under-23 first friendly match in Dhaka on Tuesday. Photo: Prothom Alo

The second international friendly match between Bangladesh and Nepal Under-23 team is underway 0-1 at the Sylhet District Stadium, Bangladesh, on Friday.

State-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) World is telecasting the match live.

Due to astonishing huge spectators in the stadium, the match was delayed for an hour.

All tickets were sold on Thursday. The stadium spectators’ capacity is 20,000. It was really difficult to handle huge number of spectators who were trying to enter the stadium breaking stadium gates.

Spectators occupied stadium’s galleries, roof of the near building, water tanks, trees and the place where they got chance to stand.

Additional police had been deployed to control the situation.

The match was scheduled to be held at 5:00pm today but started at 6:00pm due to security reason.

Bangladesh Under-23 Football Team, now preparing for the next month’s Incheon Asian Games, beat touring Nepal Under-23 side by 1-0 goal in the first match of the two-match SS Steel International Friendly series at Bangladesh Army Stadium in Banani of Dhaka on Tuesday.

Earlier, a 24-member Nepal Under-23 Football team arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka Monday night after a flight delay of nearly six hours.

The Nepalese team, comprising 20 players and four officials, will return home on August 30 after their six-day tour.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) invited the Himalayan team as part of their preparation for the next month’s Asian Games Football beginning in the South Korea city of Incheon on September 14.

Bangladesh has been placed in Group-B of the Asian Games football along with SAFF football champions Afghanistan, Hong Kong and stronger Uzbekistan.

The team is expected to leave Dhaka for Incheon on September 12 for the Asian Games.

Bangladesh will start their Asian Games campaign taking on Afghanistan on September 15 at Munhak Stadium. They will meet giant Uzbekistan on September 18 and Hong Kong on September 22 in the remaining group matches.

Source: Prothom Alo