Japan Football Association has decided to send their Under-21 team instead of the Olympic team to take part in a friendly match against the Bangladesh next month, said the officials of the Bangladesh Football Federation on Wednesday. Earlier, the BFF president Kazi Salahuddin requested the JFA to send the Under-23 Olympic team to Dhaka to play two friendly matches against the hosts.
But the JFA refused to play two matches because of its tight domestic schedule and agreed to play a friendly match in Dhaka on December 18 after a similar friendly in Thailand on December 14.
The BFF, however, is facing some difficulties regarding the venue due to the Victory Day celebrations.
‘Initially, we wanted to host the match in our Victory Day on December 16 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium,’ said BFF’s vice-president Badal Roy.
‘But the Victory Day celebrations will also take place at the same venue where the prime minister will be present.’
JFA proposed a 4-day tour schedule and BFF had to agree as it had no other choice.
‘They wanted to arrive here on December 16 and play the game two days later,’ said BFF’s general secretary Abu Naeem Shohag.
‘We had to agree because there was no alternative. Otherwise we had to cancel the game.’
-With New Age input
