Bangladesh’s under-23 side concluded their preparation tour of Bahrain with two defeats, despite showing signs of progress ahead of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers in Vietnam.
On 22 August, Saiful Bari Titu’s charges faced Bahrain’s U-23s behind closed doors and lost 4–2. Twice Bangladesh took the lead, going into half-time 2–1 ahead, but could not hold on as the hosts turned the match around. Sources confirmed that Mirazul Islam scored both goals for Bangladesh, though one earlier report suggested Arman Faisal Akash had been on the scoresheet.
The match, recognised as a FIFA Tier-2 fixture, was not officially published due to its closed-door nature. Earlier in the tour, Bangladesh had gone down 1–0 to the same opposition in their opening friendly.
Assistant coach Atikur Rahman Mishu remained upbeat about the team’s preparations. “By playing two matches in Bahrain, we have prepared well for Vietnam. All 24 players in camp have had match time. Thanks to the BFF for giving us such an opportunity,” he said.
The U-23s are due to return to Dhaka on 24 august before travelling to Vietnam for the qualifiers. They will face Vietnam, Yemen and Singapore in Group C on 3, 6 and 9 september, with group winners and the best four runners-up qualifying directly for the main event. Italy-based players Cuba Mitchel and Fahmidul are expected to link up with the squad in Vietnam.
This tour marked a new level of commitment from the Bangladesh Football Federation, as it is the first time the U-23 team have been sent abroad for training camps and preparation matches.