Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera has one clear goal—to beat Singapore and deliver a special Eid gift to the nation.
With the AFC Asian Cup qualifier just three days after Eid-ul-Adha, there will be no holiday for the national team. On 10 June, Bangladesh face Singapore in a vital clash at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, and Cabrera is determined to make it count.
“Of course, we want to beat Singapore and give the people of Bangladesh a special Eid gift,” Cabrera told reporters on Friday before training at the national stadium.
The Spaniard spoke with a mix of confidence and realism. In their last match, Bangladesh scored early against Bhutan—Hamza Choudhury headed in from a Jamal Bhuiyan corner in just the sixth minute.
Cabrera was pleased with the improvement in set-pieces: “We scored from a set-piece, and we’ve improved a lot in that area. In the last three matches, we haven’t conceded from one. That’s positive. And we kept a clean sheet in the last match.”
Jamal Bhuiyan’s attacking performance also stood out, though Cabrera noted it wasn’t a surprise. “Jamal has been playing like this for three years,” he said. Despite usually being deployed in a defensive role, Bhuiyan played further forward against Bhutan.
Bangladesh created plenty of chances in that match but scored only twice. Cabrera acknowledged the need for sharper finishing but isn’t too concerned. “We scored two goals and I’m happy. Finishing can improve, but that’s football.”
The challenge ahead is far tougher. Singapore, who beat the Maldives 3–1 on Friday, will arrive with confidence, especially with Ikhsan Fandi scoring twice on his return. Cabrera is well aware of the step up in quality and has already begun planning accordingly.