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Published : 10 Jun 2025, 02:50 AM
Asked whether a defeat to Singapore might cost him his job, Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera responded with a smile.
“Not worried,” he said, but made his ambition clear: despite acknowledging Singapore’s strength, nothing less than victory will do.
Bangladesh face Singapore at 7pm on Tuesday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the third round of Asian Cup qualifying. Both coaches addressed the media on Monday.
While Singapore’s head coach Tsutomu Ogura said his team were aiming for a “good game”, Cabrera was blunt: “We want all three points.”
That will not come easily. Bangladesh have never beaten Singapore in an official match. Their only draw came in 1973 at the Merdeka Cup, followed by a 2-1 defeat in 2015.
In unofficial friendlies played in 1973, the two sides split results, Bangladesh won the first 1-0 but lost the second 2-0. Their under-23 sides last met at the 2007 Merdeka Cup.
Ten years on, the two senior sides meet again. Bangladesh are buoyant after a 2-0 win over Bhutan, while Singapore arrive on the back of a 3-1 friendly victory against the Maldives.
The visitors boast attacking talent, including reliable forward Ikhsan Fandi.
“Singapore are a strong team,” Cabrera said. “They have real quality up front. We’ve prepared the players with detailed plans and tactical clarity. We know it won’t be easy to hold them off — but we believe we can win.”
The mood in the Bangladesh camp is upbeat. A recent goalless draw with India, victory over Bhutan, and goals from Hamza Chowdhury and Sohel Rana have boosted morale.
New additions like Canada-based Shamit Shome and Italy’s Serie D player Fahamedul Islam have added depth to the squad.
“Our preparations went well, despite the limited time,” said Cabrera. “The Bhutan game gave us confidence, mentally we’re stronger now. Tomorrow’s match is huge, but we’re fully ready for the challenge.”
“This will be a very competitive match. We’re going for three points, not just because we want a win, but because only the top team in the group will qualify.”
All four teams in the group currently sit on one point. India will play Hong Kong in the day’s other fixture. While focused on Singapore, Cabrera is already thinking long-term.
“Right now, all our attention is on tomorrow’s game. We can’t afford to slip up. We need to put pressure on them from the start. And beyond that, we have to show we have what it takes to go the distance and qualify.”
