Dooley wants Malaysia test to show Bangladesh’s level

Bangladesh will kick off their 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign against Malaysia at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Friday, using the challenging fixture as a reality check ahead of November's SAFF Championship.

​Thomas Dooley’s side faces a familiar but difficult test. Malaysia sit 136th in the FIFA rankings, 45 places above Bangladesh (181). The last time the two sides met four years ago, Malaysia secured a comfortable 4-1 victory.

​For Bangladesh, much of the focus will be on the midfield partnership between England-based Hamza Choudhury and captain Jamal Bhuyan, as the team looks to control possession and manage pressure. However, the lack of a recognised striker raises questions about their goal-scoring ability.

​Head coach Dooley stressed the importance of managing expectations against higher-ranked opponents, which also include Singapore and hosts Indonesia.

​"When you step onto the pitch, you want to do your best, but we are realistic," Dooley said. "I know we have so many fans at home who think we are coming over here and we are going to beat everyone. But Malaysia is almost 50 points above us in the rankings. We are the underdogs and were not even invited in the beginning, so we are happy to come over here and try."

​Dooley views the tournament as vital preparation for the upcoming SAFF Championship on home soil.

​"We originally planned to have our own tournament at home to get confidence for the SAFF tournament. That didn't happen, and getting invited here is very nice. The biggest thing for us is to find out where we are right now," the manager explained. "If we get a tie, or even if we lose 1-0, that would be fantastic. We are trying to find out how we can reach those higher levels, and sometimes you have to make mistakes and learn from them."

​Reflecting on the wider group, Dooley admitted Indonesia are a vastly different prospect from the team he beat 4-0 eight years ago, noting their current squad features players based in Germany, Holland, and Italy.

​Captain Bhuyan echoed his manager's focus after the squad finally reached Jakarta following a delayed arrival.

​"We wanted to come a little bit earlier, but because of visa problems we couldn't," Bhuyan said. "We know it is going to be tough against Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, but we believe in ourselves. In one month we have the SAFF tournament, which is the ultimate goal for us. But as a team, we want to compete. If we can get a couple of points or maybe a win or two, that will be very successful for us."