Bangladesh football team reach the final of the prestigious Bangabandhu Gold Cup.
The green-red side triumphed on the second final agaisnt the strong Thailand side on Friday at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
The host fetched the historical victory with the solitary goal. Nasir Uddin scored the pivotal strike on 39th minute when the veteran defender tapped home in a corner of Mamunul Islam from the right flag.
About 30,000 spectetor enjoyed the semi final at the stadium with pulsating atmosphere.
The home side put the same starting eleven that defeated Sri Lanka in the last group match while Thailand made two changes by bringing in defender Selanon Nitipong and midfielder Bunsan Kitphom in the place of Surawich and Chayawat respectively.
Bangladesh began the game with a positive note. They looked calm, composed and organised from the beginning. The hosts regularly build attacks with short passes, not with long ball they usually do.
The ball was seen in the Thailand’s half most of the time. Midfielder Emily commanded over the midfield to establish dominance.
Sheer speed, acute skill and lovely finesse of the talisman bamboozled the opponents most of the time.
The hosts went close with just six minutes into the clock when Mamunul Islam received a Sohel Rana cross with his chest, dodged past a defender and shot wide from a tight angle.
Emily met Rayhan Hasan’s long throw-in inside the penalty area five minutes later but saw his header went wide.
As the dominant saga continued, the men in red and green almost scored the opener in the 20 th minute but Hemanta failed to connect from eight-yard distance following a Zahid cross.
In return Zahid exhibited his great skills to pace past two defenders and set Hemanta free in the right wing who delivered a high cross into the box, Sohel found it but his shot blocked and denied by Selanon Nitipong, a Thai defender.
Persistent host continue their press as another Rayhan throw-in caused havoc in Thailand defence at the half-hour mark but the Thai goalkeeper Yos Somporn made a decent save this time to deny Emily’s header.
At last the dead lock broke as Nasir Uddin put the hosts ahead in the 39 th minute when the veteran defender tapped home in a corner of Mamunul Islam from the right flag. Experienced Nasir is not well known for his goal scoring ability rather he is known as ‘Army Nasir’ for his defence service background. The strongly build defender made good use of his marching skills on the pitch and pulled his body high and sent the ball into the near post with his left foot.
Bangladeshi skipper Mamunul unleashed a powerful volley from 20 yard out that went just wide in the 54th minute.
Thailand had one or two discrete chances, Forward Parmpak Pakorn tried his luck from 25 yards out with a looping shot that curled into the far post but hit the woodwork at the hour mark.
Thailand went almost close for the equaliser in the 71st minute but Rayhan produced a brilliant block inside the box to deny forward Pimkoon Jaturong’s effort.
Bangladesh controlled the ball in the last minutes including the prolonged extra-time which lasted over four minutes.
The players, crowd and the officials were ecstatic at the last whistle on the 95 th minute.
Bangladesh will meet Malaysia in the final match on Sunday at the same venue.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
