Defender Meshu out of the Games with injury
Bangladesh Under-23 national football team’s hopes of doing anything in the Asian Games took a heavy jolt when they lost their warm-up match against Vietnam Unted-23s 4-2 at the Munhak Football Field in Incheon, South Korea on Wednesday. With just five days to go before the start of football event from September 14, Bangladesh received a further blow when one of their three senior players, defender Atiqur Rahman Meshu, was ruled out of the Games due to an ankle injury.
His absence made an immediate impact on the game as Bangladesh conceded two goals in the first half because of some flaws in the defence but they tried their best to make a comeback in the second half but conceded another goal in the 52nd minute.
Two main forwards of Bangladesh – Wahed Ahmed and Toklis Ahmed – came off the bench in the second half and reduced the margin by scoring one goal apiece.
After scoring two early goals in the second half, Bangladesh coach De Kruif strengthened his defence by sending on Tapu Barman instead of forward Yousuf Sifat.
Wahed pulled one back in the 70th minute from Sohel Rana’s pass while Toklis showed great skill and poise to reduce the margin scoring with a solo effort in the 75th minute but Vietnam increased their margin with a dying moment strike.
Bangladesh will play their first group match against SAFF champions Afghanistan on September 15 before facing Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.
Bangladesh national team’s Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif immediately asked the Bangladesh Football Federation to send Mithun Chowdhury to replce injured Meshu.
But the BFF asked the coach to name another one or two players as Meshu’s replacement.
‘Meshu was ruled out from the Asian Games due to ankle injury and he will return home after some medical tests,’ BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag said on Wednesday.
‘Coach chose Mithun Chowdhury as replacement for Meshu but we told him [de Kruif] to give another one or two names because if Mithun refuses to go then he will have the second option,’ he added.
‘It’s just a friendly match. Bangladesh tried to perform well and I think the players played well but it was a bad luck that we lost the game,’ said de Kruif after the match.
‘The defence looked weaker and were not up to the mark in the absence of Meshu.’ added Kruif.
-With New Age input
