Bangladesh and Nepal meet today in the first semifinal of the SAFF Under-20 Championship at the National Stadium in Male, Maldives. The match kicks off at 4:45 pm Bangladesh time. Bangladesh, the defending champions, are focused on defeating Nepal to secure a place in the final and retain their title.

Bangladesh won the tournament for the first time in 2024, defeating Nepal 4-1 in the final. This year, the two teams meet again, but in the semifinal stage. The team’s hopes are centered on US-based brothers Declan Sullivan and Ronan Sullivan, who are representing Bangladesh for the first time. Ronan has already scored twice in one match, while Declan, an 18-year-old defender, is expected to strengthen the defense after errors in the group stage against India.

Bangladesh reached the semifinal as group runners-up with four points, after beating Pakistan 2-0 and drawing 1-1 with India. The tournament final is scheduled for April 3.