Daka, Bangladesh: Ahead of the FIFA international friendlies, Maldives National Team head coach Ali Suzain stated that his team has a strong goal of proving themselves during this challenging period for Maldives football.

Maldives will play the first of their two friendlies against Bangladesh today, with the second match scheduled to take place in three days.

During yesterday's press conference, Suzain extended his congratulations to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for the opportunity to play in this friendly.

He noted that Maldives has been without international football since their last match against Bangladesh in October of the previous year. Suzain sees this as a valuable opportunity to kickstart international fixtures once again.

He acknowledged that the team’s preparations haven't been ideal, but expressed confidence in his players, especially as the majority of the squad comes from Maziya Sports and Recreation, who recently participated in the AFC Challenge League and performed well.

Maldives began training on September 20th, with Maziya's players joining the sessions on November 5th, after the conclusion of the AFC Challenge League.

Despite the challenges, Suzain emphasized that his team is mentally prepared for the upcoming matches. "I don't believe in any lack of mental readiness. In fact, our players are mentally stronger because we are here to do something for our football. As you mentioned, there has been no football in the Maldives since last November, and now is the time for the players to prove that we are always ready to do whatever it takes for Maldivian football—whether it's development or winning. So, the players are highly motivated for this game, and we came here to win," Suzain stated.

Maldives National Football Team Coach Suzain highlighted the importance of having a positive approach to the games.--- PHOTO: Adhadhu Sports

Regarding the match, he added, "The target is to win. Bangladesh’s team is almost the same as the one we played last October, with only one or two changes. For our team, Aisam is the only notable absentee, but all other players are available. Hamza, Samooh, and Fasir are all here."

The experienced coach Suzain pointed out that Maldives, a country with 200 islands, has seen numerous tournaments over the past year, with around 50 to 60 local competitions taking place across these islands. He explained that many of the senior players were involved in these smaller tournaments, while Maziya Sports & Recreation had been training under a foreign coach since September in preparation for the AFC Challenge League. Despite the lack of a proper league during this period, Suzain expressed confidence in his players’ abilities.

Maldives lost their FIFA World Cup/AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers match against Bangladesh last year, and Suzain was asked if he had any regrets about that defeat.

"I'm sad that we couldn't win here in last match, but i don't regret about this, because going to Australia or and play these qualifying the present situation of our FA, I'm afraid to say that, we might not have travelled for these matches, because of this crisis. we had doubt that we will be participating in the second round. that's not a problem, the only thing for sadness is the defeat." Suzain stated.

Despite this, Suzain has no doubts about his team's motivation heading into the friendlies against Bangladesh, believing they will be ready for the challenge.

"Our motivation for these matches is with these same players for last three or four years, with these same players we have been doing good against Bangladesh and most of the South Asian teams, comparing to the play, ball possession, everything was very high, in last four, five matches against Bangladesh, we have been playing good but we lost last match even. We have been playing good football since 2021, SAFF Championship against Bangladesh," Suzain said.

Reflecting on the history of Maldives football, Suzain, a former top-tier player in the Maldives, noted how things have changed. "When we first started, Bangladesh was regularly scoring eight or nine goals against us. But that was a long time ago. Maldives has grown stronger since those early losses, and we’ve started winning consistently against Bangladesh.

However, in the past three years, things have started to change," Suzain explained.

"The change is because Bangladesh have a good coach, with him Bangladesh have improved and doing good. I hope with my players, as you know Maldives have very fast talented players, striking players, with these players still we can do something." Suzain stated.

Since Javier Cabrera took over as head coach of Bangladesh in March 2022, the team has played against Maldives four times, with Bangladesh winning two of those encounters and losing just once.

Bangladesh Head Coach Cabrera is confident about the progress of his team ahead of two friendlies against Maldives.

"I believe this is a strong indication of the progress we've made," Cabrera said. "We need to focus on how the team has developed over the past three years. From the game in Maldives in March 2022 to the matches we've played in 2023, there has been significant improvement. I believe in this window, we'll see another level of this team."

Cabrera also praised the talent of Maldives, acknowledging the team's forward players. "Maldives is, honestly, a very talented country with some strong attacking players. It's unfortunate that they've had a year without competition, and they haven't played as a national team since they faced us. Playing against Maldives is always tough because they are unpredictable in attack. That said, we’re confident we can secure two wins."

When discussing his team's approach to the upcoming matches, Cabrera emphasized the importance of taking control of the ball. "It’s not easy to win the ball from Maldives, as they are a very technical team. We're going to do everything we can to win possession as quickly as possible and launch our attacks," he explained.

With team captain Jamal Bhuyan absent, Topu Barman will step in as captain, with Sohel also serving in a leadership role.

"Topu and Sohel are the other official captains, but in terms of leadership, we have many players in the dressing room who can take charge. It's a positive situation. It’s not just about the captains—there are also younger players pushing hard and showing strong personalities. We aim to create a very positive atmosphere with the fans," Cabrera added.

Addressing rumors that his job could be at risk if he fails to secure a result in these matches, Cabrera responded, "My focus is entirely on these two games. I'm committed to taking Bangladesh football to the next level, and that’s what I’m concentrating on right now."