Bangladesh Under-16 national football team ended their AFC Under-16 Championship Qualifiers campaign on a high note as they secured an impressive 2-0 victory over hosts Qatar in their final Group E match on Sunday. Despite the win, the Bangladeshi boys failed to qualify as one of the six best runners-up teams by goal margin for the AFC Under-16 Championship, which will be held in Malaysia next year.
Bangladesh began the match with a positive mindset at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha after suffering a well-fought 0-2 defeat against Yemen in their previous match.
Yemen qualified for the main tournament as group champions after securing a 6-1 win over the hosts in their first match along with nine other teams.
Bangladesh had the best opportunity in the first half when Miraj Molla was released on the left after a long clearance from Yeasin Arafat, but the forward failed to beat the Qatar keeper on a one-on-one situation.
Bangladesh Under-16 boys were more dominating in the second-half but failed to convert two easy chances in a quick succession.
Molla firstly blasted over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat in the 61st minute and moments later Dipok Roy also missed in a similar fashion and failed to open the score sheet.
Although Roy missed one of the easiest opportunities in the match, he redeemed himself shortly giving Bangladesh the lead in the 70th minute with a header from a corner from the right by Molla.
Bangladesh doubled their lead in the 81st minute when striker Foysal Ahmed Fahim beat Yemen goalkeeper with his low shot from outside the box and confirmed a memorable victory.
Bangladesh Under-16 coach Mostofa Anowar Parvez was ecstatic at the performance of his charges.
‘Today we played a fantastic game,’ he told reporters at the post-match press conference.
‘Our game plan was to attack Qatar whenever we get a chance. I’m very happy that the boys stuck to the game plan and gave their all. And I thank Allah that we could play so well and come up with a victory.’
Under-16 boys returned home on Monday.
Nine of the 10 group champions including Jordan, Tajikistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, North Korea, Indonesia, Australia and Japan have already qualified for the main event.
India, Oman, Thailand, Vietnam and hosts Malaysia have also qualified for the tournament as best group runners-up while two more teams were to qualify from Group H as champions and runners-up on Monday.
-With New Age input
