Bangladesh ended their calamitous SAFF campaign with some solace after a thumping 3-0 win over 10-man Bhutan in their third and final match of the SAFF Suzuki Cup in Trivandrum, Kerela on Monday.
Bangladesh had already been eliminated from the group stage of the competition for the third consecutive time when they lost their opening two games to reigning champions Afghanistan 0-4 and Maldives 1-3.
Bhutan also lost their first two games against the same opponents and were out of the championship. So, the match turned out to be the battle of pride for both the teams.
With the win, Bangladesh at last broke their nine match winless streak in the international arena as well as they maintained their unbeaten run against Bhutan.
This was Bangladesh’s fourth win over the Bhutanese in their five meetings while the other match ended in a goalless draw.
Shakhwat Hossain Rony scored a brace after Topu Barman had opened the score-sheet to give Bangladesh their lone win of the competition.
Bangladesh coach Maruful Haque made two changes in the starting line-up by bringing on defender Nasirul Islam Nasir and forward Nabib Newaz Jibon in place of Rayhan Hasan and Zahid Hossain.
The changes clicked for the men in Reds as they pressed hard to get the breakthrough and took only eight minutes to take a deserved lead through defender Topu.
Captain Mamunul Islam curled a corner from the right flank and Tapu coolly headed the ball into the Bhutan net.
Bangladesh gained more ground in the 22nd minute after Indian referee Pranjal Banerjee showed a straight marching order to Bhutan defender Chimi Dorji for aggressively protesting a penalty decision against them.
Defender Jigme Tshering brought down Hemanta Vincent inside the penalty box and referee instructed a spot kick but Dorji reacted badly to receive the red card.
Rony, who had missed two crucial chances in their last two matches, this time made no mistake to double the lead by converting from the spot.
Bhutanese star forward Chencho Gyeltshen tried his luck with a left footed drive from outside the box just six minutes later that went straight in the hands of Bangladesh keeper Shahidul Alam Sohel.
Rony, however, missed a sitter in the 40th minute when he found Bhutanese keeper Karun Gurung in a one-on-one situation.
After the resumption, Bhutan tried to initiate some attacks but Bangladesh keeper Sohel brilliantly parried away Tshering Dorjee’s powerful shot just inside the box in the 62nd minute.
Rony bagged his second of the day with a neat finishing five minutes later off a long through from Yeasin Khan. Rony beat his marker to find the back of the net with an accurate left footed placing.
Jibon failed to make his SAFF debut memorable in the 74th minute when he failed to score from a low cross of substitute Zahid Hossain from a hand-shaking distance.
RESULT
Bangladesh 3 (Topu Barman 8, Rony 24, 66) v Bhutan 0
Source: New Age
