Bangladesh Under-20 football team will leave for Nepal on Friday to compete in the six-nation SAFF Under-20 Championship to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, from August 18 to 28.
Dasharath Stadium will host all the matches of the competition.
Bangladesh, who are in Group A, will take on Sri Lanka on August 20 before facing hosts Nepal on August 22.
The sixth edition of this tournament was supposed to be a seven-team fray before Pakistan withdrew their name, making it a six-team competition with defending champions India, Bhutan, and the Maldives comprising Group B.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals to be played on August 25 and 26, while the final will be held on August 28.
Maruful Haque鈥檚 charges started training at home on July 31, but it was interrupted in the middle due to the widespread student-people movement that ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
Despite having a two-week long preparation, the country鈥檚 only UEFA Pro licensed coach, Maruful, was hopping that his charges would be fit enough before the start of the tournament and will play in the final.
鈥業nitially, we set the target to reach in final. After working two weeks with the boys at the camp, we are sensing that we can become the champions. They (players) have dedication to do that,鈥� said Maruful.
鈥楤ut at first we have to give our best to reach the semi-finals,鈥� he added while talking to the press at the Bangladesh Football Federation on Wednesday.
