10-man Bangladesh top group
Ten-man Bangladesh beat hosts Nepal 2-1 to emerge champions of Group A in the SAFF U-15 Championship at the ANFA Complex ground in Kathmandu yesterday. The win, Bangladesh's second in two games, set them up for a semifinal clash against Group B runners-up India.
The boys in red and green took the lead in the second minute of the game, and despite having their first-choice goalkeeper sent off in the 34th minute and conceding the equaliser from the resultant penalty, hit back right after the break to seal the victory.
The charges of Anwar Parvez, who thrashed Maldives 9-0 in their opening match, started the game as the favourites and wasted little time in breaking the deadlock. They earned a free-kick 10 yards outside the box in the second minute of the game, with skipper Mahedi Hasan floating in a left-footer which was headed in by midfielder Ibne Ahad Shakil.
Striker Nihat Jaman Uchhash, who scored four goals against Maldives, saw his header cleared off the goalline by a Nepal defender in the 27th minute before midfielder Rajon Hawlader's shot came off the crossbar in the following minute.
Despite having a world of possession, Bangladesh were caught on the break in the 32nd minute and goalkeeper Mitul Marma, in an attempt to thwart the attack, lunged on to Nepal forward Sanam Gurung inside the box. That effort earned the goalie a straight red card and Nepal a spot-kick, which was duly dispatched, past the substitute goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan, by Jaan Limbu.
However, Bangladesh regained the lead in the first minute of the second half, right from the kickoff, as skipper Mahedi's long ball to the right flank was expertly cut back by Shakil before Rajon finished off the move with a brilliant diagonal shot past the Nepal goalkeeper.
There were no more clear-cut scoring opportunities for either side after that and although the hosts had more possession and attack, Bangladesh held on to the lead to move into the last four with a 100 per cent record.
“We lost against Nepal 4-2 in the semifinals last year, which was on our mind,” coach Anwar Parvez told the media after the win. “We had to change our game plan after the red card [to the goalkeeper], but we played well and earned a deserved victory.”
Bangladesh will take on India in the first semifinal on Thursday while Group B champions Pakistan will play against Nepal in the second semifinal on the same day.
