Cuba ‘best alternative’ despite limited match time

Two new faces, Bashundhara Kings’ Cuba Mitchell and Fortis FC’s Morshed Ali, were recently added to Bangladesh’s national football camp amid injury concerns to key players Ibrahim and Rahmat Mia. 

Despite limited match exposure, Cuba’s inclusion has been widely viewed as a positive boost for the team ahead of important fixtures.

Cuba, formerly with English club Sunderland, had been on Bangladesh’s radar since June but was delayed by passport issues and formalities. Even after signing for Bashundhara Kings, national coach Javier Cabrera initially left him out of the September and October FIFA windows due to his lack of regular playing time. However, injuries forced a change in plans.

Topu Barman, Bashundhara Kings captain, praised Cuba’s qualities. 

“We all know where he has played previously, and we know that he has that capability. His ability to carry the ball forward and his shooting — he already showed that in our last match against Fortis. His tendency to shoot both inside and from outside the D-box is a very positive side for our team. We can definitely score goals from that,” Topu said on Sunday.

On Cuba’s adaptation, Topu added, “When he first arrived, it was mainly about adjusting to our weather. Then in Qatar, he played in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers, showing his readiness.”

Coach Cabrera acknowledged Cuba’s limited training time but expressed confidence: “We wanted him to play a few more matches, and that’s why he wasn’t included earlier. But injuries to Ibrahim and Rahmat made us reconsider. He doesn’t have much training time now, but we are confident he will gradually improve and reach the level we want to see.”

“Honestly, he doesn’t have much training time right now. There are only a few sessions before the Nepal match, and altogether seven sessions before the India match. But we are confident that he will gradually improve and reach the level where we want to see him. Hopefully, he will get his opportunity,” he added.