Bangladesh Under-20 will look to recover from their opening defeat when they face Syria in their second AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match on Thursday. The Bangladesh side completed their final training session at the Uzbekistan Football Association training ground on Wednesday afternoon, with head coach Gerard Jones placing particular emphasis on tactical preparation, team shape and executing their game plan.
Bangladesh lost their opening match to hosts Uzbekistan, but Jones believes there were positives to take from the performance, particularly in defence. “We’re disappointed that we didn’t get the result against Uzbekistan, but we played against an outstanding, technically strong team,” Jones said.
“I think most of our game plan for the most part worked in terms of our defensive structure. We made it very difficult for them, and we’re going to take a lot of positives from that match into this match.” Jones has also analysed Syria’s matches against India, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and wants his side to show greater control in possession.
“In this game, we want to obviously get on the ball a lot more than we did in the previous match. We want to be able to dictate play,” he said. The coach identified defensive transitions as one area Bangladesh must improve after conceding shortly after the restart against Uzbekistan.
“When we do win the ball, we need to make sure that we don’t give the ball away straight away,” he said. “Secure the first pass, and we don’t always have to look to counterattack. Look to get on the ball, rest in possession and keep the ball.” Jones also rejected the condition of the pitch as an excuse. “Obviously, the pitch isn’t fantastic, but it’s the same for both teams. We don’t want to make excuses,” he said.
Captain Abdul Riyad Fahim echoed that approach, insisting Bangladesh remain united despite the disappointment of the opening match. “Our main objective was to win. It didn’t happen, but we want to bounce back in the next match,” Fahim said. Striker Mohammed Mahe Khan admitted he felt isolated against Uzbekistan because of their intense pressing, but remains confident ahead of the Syria match.
“We didn’t get much service, so I felt a little isolated,” Mahe said. “But we are confident and we want to show our quality in the next game.” Fahim also urged Bangladeshi expatriates in Uzbekistan to come out and support the team again. Bangladesh face Syria at 5pm Bangladesh time on Thursday.
