Bangladesh will look to produce a sharper and more aggressive performance when they face Singapore in their second Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Jakarta today at 3 pm Bangladesh Time.
Thomas Dooley’s side were beaten 3-0 by Malaysia in their opening game, leaving Bangladesh coach Thomas Dooley frustrated by a passive display. He now wants his players to press higher, compete more aggressively and take greater control of the game.
“We need to play with a different mindset, a different attitude, and I want to win the game. There’s no question,” Dooley said in the pre-match press conference on Sunday.
Bangladesh are expected to retain the 4-3-3 formation used against Malaysia, although changes to the starting XI are likely. Zidane Yousuf is set to start after impressing off the bench, while Shuki Itofusa could also be handed his first start.
Sheikh Morsalin could operate as the central striker or a false nine, while Sohel Rana may join Hamza Choudhury in midfield as Bangladesh look to maintain a double-pivot setup. Farhaan Ali Wahid and Fahamedul Islam, who struggled to make an impact against Malaysia, could be options from the bench.
There are also concerns in defence after Tariq Kazi was forced off with a hamstring injury in the opening game. Zidane’s composed performance after replacing him, however, has given Dooley another option.
The coach was particularly unhappy with how deep Bangladesh defended against Malaysia.
“We need to play aggressively, much more aggressively against the man, much more aggressively against the ball, and want to play forward,” Dooley said. “That’s not the type of football that I envision and that I want to play with Bangladesh.”
That approach will be tested by a Singapore side expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1. Their two holding midfielders can provide a platform for the attack, while the three players behind the striker could look to exploit the space between Bangladesh’s midfield and defence.
Singapore beat Bangladesh 1-0 in their most recent meeting in March during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and completed that campaign unbeaten with four wins and two draws.
Shamit Shome believes Bangladesh’s familiarity with Singapore can work in their favour.
“They have a structure and a clear identity in the way they play. They have two or three rotations that we know can be dangerous, and they have two or three dangerous players as well,” Shome said.
“But we are familiar with them. We know how they punished us and where they were successful in the previous games. We are trying to learn from that and, under our new coach, apply more principles to our game so that we can perform better this time.”
Singapore will also be looking to bounce back after a 2-0 defeat by hosts Indonesia in their opening match. Gavin Lee’s side also brings recent tournament experience, having reached the semi-finals of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup before losing to Thailand.
For Bangladesh, the tactical battle could hinge on whether their 4-3-3 can press Singapore’s 4-2-3-1 without leaving gaps between the lines. Dooley has made it clear that a passive approach will not be acceptable.
“We wanted to have at least four points out of this tournament. We can’t get that anymore, but we can get three points, and against Singapore that’s what we are aiming for,” he said.
Shome echoed that determination, with Bangladesh seeking to respond to their opening defeat.
“We have lost to them twice, so there is a desire to get a bit of revenge,” he said. “We will try to give everything, play with full energy and put in a much better performance than we did against Malaysia.”
Bangladesh probable playing XI:
Mehedi Hasan Srabon (GK), Zayyan Ahmed, Shakil Ahad Topu, Zidane Yousuf, Saad Uddin, Hamza Choudhury, Sohel Rana, Shamit Shome, Shukhi Itofusa, Rakib Hossain, Shekh Morsalin
