Bangladesh clinch victory in thrilling 2-1 comeback over Maldives
This victory marks Bangladesh's final international match of 2024, giving them a morale-boosting win to close out a year of mixed results.
Bangladesh's 2024 international campaign ended with a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Maldives on Saturday, following a hard-fought contest at the Bashundhara Kings Arena.
After a narrow 1-0 defeat in their opening match, the hosts managed to bounce back in style with a resilient performance, despite trailing for much of the game.
The match proved to be a thrilling contest, with Bangladesh's late goal in extra time securing the win.
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The Maldives took an early lead in the 23rd minute when Ali Fasir capitalised on a defensive lapse from Bangladesh.
A poorly timed clearance allowed Fasir to fire the ball into the net, giving the Maldives a 1-0 advantage. Despite the setback, Bangladesh responded with determination, and though they had multiple chances to equalise, poor finishing kept the scoreline in the Maldives' favour until the end of the first half.
In the 43rd minute, Bangladesh's persistence finally paid off. Majibur Rahman Johnny delivered a superb shot from outside the box, finding the back of the net and bringing the score level at 1-1 just before the break.
The goal lifted the spirits of the team, and they headed into halftime with renewed confidence.
The second half was a tale of missed opportunities for both sides. Bangladesh came out strong after the interval, with Rakib Hossain testing the Maldives goalkeeper with a powerful shot in the 50th minute, only for the keeper to save it for a corner.
Three minutes later, the Maldives had their own chance, but Fasir's header was expertly saved by Bangladesh's Mitul Marma.
As the game progressed, both teams pushed forward in search of a winner. In the 85th minute, Bangladesh had a golden opportunity when a long-range shot from Morsalin was saved by the Maldives goalkeeper, and the rebound was wasted by debutant Piyas Ahmed Nova.
With the match heading into added time, Bangladesh found their breakthrough.
In the dying moments, Shahriar Imon delivered a precise pass to Papon Singh, who latched onto the ball and struck it into the net, putting Bangladesh 2-1 ahead.
This goal proved to be the match-winner, as the Maldives could not respond, and the game ended with the hosts claiming a much-needed victory.
This victory marks Bangladesh's final international match of 2024, giving them a morale-boosting win to close out a year of mixed results.
