The booters were able to celebrate Eid with joy in Bengaluru today after achieving a significant goal the night before, despite the fact that they were separated by thousands of miles from their beloved family and friends.
For the first time in 14 years, Bangladesh has earned a spot in the semifinals of the SAFF Championship. If the Bhutan match hadn’t gone the way they wanted it to, the Bangladeshi team’s disposition today would have been very different.
As they went to perform the prayer for Eid ul-Adha earlier in the morning, it was clear on their faces that they were experiencing a mixture of tiredness and contentment.
The first player to check in at the Renaissance Hotel in Bengaluru was Faisal Ahmed Fahim. His name was Faisal Ahmed Fahim. One by one, others appeared – the likes of Mojibur Rahman Jonny, Sohel Rana, Rakib Hossain, Sheikh Morsalin, Rabiul Hasan, Isa Faisal, Rahmat Mia, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Jamal Bhuiyan, Suman Reza.
The ecstatic football players, who were accompanied by team officials and sports journalists who were covering the regional football spectacle, walked to an Eidgah that was located nearby. The whole team was given permission to skip today’s training and will instead attend only the gym session that is scheduled for later in the afternoon.
Isa, Suman, and the others are experiencing their first Eid celebration away from members of their families, in contrast to some of the guys dressed in red and green. The football players are also longing for the traditional dishes that are prepared for Eid celebrations. The manager of the squad had made a request to the staff at the hotel where the team was staying to prepare sweets like Semai and Laccha.
Some of the Indian players, including Sahal Abdul Samad, Anwar Ali, Rahim Ali, and others, came to the hotel after performing prayers, and they too grabbed groupies like their Bangladeshi counterparts. This is because India and Kuwait are also sleeping at the same hotel.
After our victory at the Asian Games in 2018, we also celebrated Eid with great joy in the Philippines. Our opponents that year were Qatar. “We are happy to celebrate Eid away from family after qualifying for the SAFF Championship semifinal for the first time in 14 years,” said Sohel Rana, adding that they had sweets at a mosque in the Philippines but there was no such arrangement here in Bengaluru. “This time, too, we are also happy to celebrate Eid away from family after qualifying for the SAFF Championship semifinal for the first time in 14 years.”
“This is the very first year that I would be celebrating Eid apart from the members of my family, and I feel terrible about it. This morning I had a conversation with my father, and he and the rest of my family are pleased to hear that I will be returning home in the next few days. In addition to that, I am ecstatic since we won the match against Bhutan,” said right-back Isa, adding that they are looking forward to contributing even more against Kuwait in the semifinals.
“If I’m being completely honest, I treat my colleagues like members of my own family when we get together. Morsalin, who previously spent Eid in India while he was there to play a U-14 tournament for BKSP, stated that the team is glad and joyful since they desired a win on the occasion of Eid.
“The joy of this Eid has increased by winning yesterday’s match, which also confirmed our semifinal,” said Rakib Hossain, adding that he also knows what it’s like to miss the company of family members owing to domestic responsibilities. “The joy of this Eid has increased by winning yesterday’s match,” said Rakib Hossain.
The Defender, Alamgir Mollah, stated, “This is the first year that I will be celebrating Eid outside of the country.” This Eid is very special since we were able to do what we set out to do.
Alomgir and his teammates are “now looking forward to achieving a big target of playing the final,” but a powerful Kuwait team will stand in their way on Saturday in the game that serves as their penultimate obstacle.