Thinley Namgay 

Bhutan’s young footballers will play in two crucial international matches tomorrow—one in Bhutan and the other in Vietnam—where Bhutan’s under (U)-17 and U-20 national footballers are competing in the SAFF U-17 Championship and the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, respectively.

Bhutan is hosting the ninth edition of the SAFF U-17 Championship at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, which starts today and runs until September 30, featuring seven countries: Bhutan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Group A consists of India, the Maldives, and Bangladesh. Defending champion India and Bangladesh will play  in the inaugural match at 6 PM today.

Bhutan is placed in Group B with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal. Bhutan will play its first match against Sri Lanka tomorrow at 6 PM after the match between Nepal and Pakistan, which is scheduled at 2 PM.

Bhutan’s U-17 Coach, Yeshi Wangchuk, expressed confidence in the tournament, citing home advantage, favourable weather, and strong team cooperation among the players.

“I am confident in my squad,” Yeshi Wangchuk said. “The players are competent. Unlike in the past, all players were selected from the BFF Academy. While the general training has been ongoing for a year, we have had rigorous training for the past two months.”

Previously, the BFF recruited U-17 players from football clubs. Reflecting on past experiences, Coach Yeshi Wangchuk explained that it was challenging to train club players together due to different  school schedules.

The coach emphasised that he won’t underestimate any team, as all are equally competitive. He said that hosting the tournament at home boosts the morale among both players and fans.

The U-17 team captain Ngawang Yonten mentioned that team bonding is strong and players are more confident compared to last year. “I am confident my team will deliver competitive football.”

Coaches and captains from Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka acknowledged that India and Bangladesh have been dominant teams for years but expect it to be more challenging this year.

India enters the tournament as the defending champions, with five titles.

In the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers tomorrow, Bhutan will face Guam at 3 PM.

Bhutan is in Group A, alongside hosts Vietnam, Syria, Bangladesh, and Guam. The tournament, featuring 45 countries in 10 groups, will take place from September 21 to 29.

Considering the recent performance of the U-20 team in the SAFF Championship in Nepal, football enthusiasts are optimistic that Bhutan will deliver a strong performance.

The 10 group winners and the five best second-placed teams will advance to the finals, which are scheduled to take place in China in February 2025.