Bangladesh falls to Nepal in SAFF U-20 Championship
Despite having secured a semifinal spot with a win in their previous match, this defeat meant Bangladesh missed out on the top spot in their group and will now enter the semifinals as the second-placed team.
Nepal capitalised on a defensive error early in the match, putting Bangladesh on the back foot in their SAFF U-20 Championship encounter.
In the 16th minute, a clearance from a Nepali defender found its way to Bangladesh goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan, who had stepped out of his box.
With the other defenders pushing forward, Mehedi, the Bangladesh U-20 captain, only needed to advance the ball upfield. However, Nepali forward Samir Tamang intercepted his pass and promptly slotted the ball into the net.
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The early setback rattled Bangladesh, and just two minutes later, Nepal doubled their lead. A swift attack down the right wing left the Bangladeshi defence exposed, allowing Niranjan Dhamala to add another goal. The match, held in Nepal as part of the SAFF U-20 Championship, saw Bangladesh lose 2-1 to the hosts.
After conceding the second goal, Bangladesh dominated the remainder of the first half. They earned five corners within the next 10 minutes, launching several attacks but failing to make any of them count. This inability to convert opportunities into goals, which had been a concern in their previous match against Sri Lanka, was once again evident.
In the 42nd minute, during a rare attacking move, Nepal's defenders Ram Thapa and Ashwin Ghorasaini fouled Mirajul Islam inside the box. Mirajul calmly converted the resulting penalty, having already scored in the previous match. However, coach Maruful Haque had initially chosen not to start him in this final group game.
Instead, Piyas Ahmed Nova, who scored as a substitute in the earlier match, was given a place in the starting eleven, alongside Hossain Mohammad and Mohsin Ahmed. After falling behind by two goals, the coach introduced Mirajul for Mohsin, and Asadul Molla replaced Hossain Mohammad. These changes did add some spark to Bangladesh's attack, but they were still unable to seriously trouble the Nepali defence.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both sides creating and responding to each other's attacks. However, neither team could produce any truly dangerous moments. Bangladesh's players—Rabbi Hossain Rahul, Mirajul Islam, Asadul Molla, Rustam Islam, Chandon Roy, Ashraful Haque Asif, and Asadul Islam—managed to maintain possession and pass well, but struggled to break through in the final third, highlighting a significant weakness in their approach.
