Bangladeshi booters bewilder Bhutan

Bangladesh made a winning start to their SAFF Championship 2026 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Bhutan at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.

The hosts secured all three points in their opening Group A fixture, giving head coach Thomas Dooley an encouraging start as Bangladesh look to end a 23-year wait for their second regional crown.

Playing in front of home supporters, Bangladesh entered the contest under considerable pressure to deliver a positive result. The team had been eager to make the most of home advantage after a lengthy wait for the regional competition to return to Dhaka.

Bangladesh last won the SAFF Championship in 2003, also on home soil. They finished runners-up in 2005 but have struggled to reproduce that success in subsequent editions.

The opening victory gives the hosts an important platform in a group that also includes Sri Lanka. With only two group matches to secure a place in the semi-finals, collecting maximum points in the first outing was particularly important.

Bangladesh had to begin their campaign without influential midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who was unavailable for the opening match because of his club commitments. His absence placed additional responsibility on the remaining midfielders to provide creativity and stability.

Captain Topu Barman and his teammates will now turn their attention to the next group fixture against Sri Lanka on November 11, when another victory could strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

For Dooley, the opening success offers an encouraging foundation, but the hosts will need to maintain their momentum if they are to turn their home campaign into a genuine title challenge.