Uzbeks complete hosts' misery

Bangladesh's flickering hopes of qualifying for the AFC U-19 Championship finals were put out by a 4-0 defeat at the hands of favourites Uzbekistan at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The hosts played comparatively better in their last match against the best side of the group, yet their best effort came as no consolation as they conceded two late goals to make the scoreline far more humbling than it should have.

The only consolation for the beleaguered hosts, though, was finishing second in the group and above the two other South Asian sides.  Sri Lanka edged Bhutan to the third position after beating the latter 2-0 in the first match of the day.

Having started the campaign with the target of grabbing one of the five best runners-up spots among 10 groups, Bangladesh had made their life difficult with a 1-1 draw against Bhutan Sunday following a 2-0 win against Sri Lanka, which meant they needed to win against the Uzbeks in order to qualify.

The coaching staff was hoping against hope of a surprise win against the Uzbeks, but once the team conceded the lead in the second minute, any such hopes all but ended. Having rattled the crossbar in the 12th second of the match, the Central Asian side grabbed the lead 64 seconds later when No. 10, Doston Ibragimov, picked the far corner of the net with a powerful shot as Bangladesh defence failed to clear a corner. That goal, according to Bangladesh coach Saiful Bari Titu, put the hosts on the backfoot.

“We thought we would keep them at bay in the first half and try to nick it, if we could, in the second. But once we conceded a goal within two minutes, that plan went out of the window,” said the coach at his post-match analysis.

Bangladesh however did not go down and looked far more resolute than they were in matches against Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Four changes in the starting eleven looked to have given them solidity at the back and sync in attack. However, the hosts failed slice open the opposition defence and were indebted to goalkeeper Anisur Rahman, who pulled out two excellent saves in the space of a minute to deny Uzbekistan forward Tukhtasinov Nurillo from doubling the lead. Anisur then made a vital parry in the 44th minute before Bangladesh striker Mannaf Rabbi failed to connect to a cross at the other end as the referee blew the whistle for the half time. 

Wingers Mohammad Ibrahim and Rabbi put tireless shifts down the flanks, but Bangladesh's only threatening moves came from corner kicks, which were wasted anyway. Anisur was somewhat unlucky in the 62nd minute when he was beaten for the second time, against the run of play, as Ibragimov's goal-bound shot took a wicked deflection off a defender, completely wrongfooting the goalkeeper.

As the hosts grew increasingly fatigued the Uzbeks took full advantage, with substitute forward Abdixolikov Bobir clinically finishing a move from the deep in the 79th minute before Ganijonov Begzod putting the final nail on the coffin on the stroke of the final whistle.

Points Table (Group A)

Team    M    W     L    D    Pts     GD     Status
Uzbekistan    3    3     0    0     9    14         Qualified           
Bangladesh    3     1     1    1    4     -2 
Sri Lanka    3    1    2    0     3      -3
Bhutan    3    0    2    1     1     -9