Bangladesh were eliminated from the 10th SAFF Championship after a 2-1 defeat to Pakistan in their last Group A match at the Halchowk Stadium in Kathmandu on Thursday.
Lodewijk de Kruif’s outfit finished with a single point from three group matches, the same return as the Bangladesh side were knocked out at the same stage in 2011. This year’s point came from the team’s 1-1 draw with India on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, misfortune again struck Pakistan, who were eliminated despite the win because of their earlier 1-0 loss to India, who also lost 2-1 to hosts Nepal on Thursday.
With both teams level on four points and zero goal difference, the former joined group-winners Nepal in the semi-finals at Pakistan’s expense by virtue of that head-to-head victory.
Bangladesh took the lead in the 29th minute through Zahid Hossain Ameli, but Samar Ishaq equalised six minutes later. Kalim Ullah dramatically bundled home Pakistan’s winner in second-half stoppage time, securing what would turn out to be a meaningless victory.
Nepal had taken a 2-0 lead into stoppage time against India at the Dasharath Rangashala Stadium to give Pakistan a hope of advancing, but India pulled one back in final moments to increase their goal difference and keep the six-time champions alive in the tournament.
In the very first minute, Bangladesh failed to capitalise on a glorious chance to take an early lead when Zahid Hossain dribbled past a few defenders from the left flank and worked his way into the box before teeing up Zahid Hossain Ameli, who shot the ball right at Pakistani goalkeeper Saqib Hanif from point blank range.
Pakistan’s first real chance was a free header inside the box from Danish-born winger Hasan Bashir in the 24th minute, but Bangladesh goalkeeper Mamun Khan easily caught the ball.
Pakistan created another chance just two minutes later, when Adnan Farooq had just the keeper to beat after a cross from the right wing but sent his volley wide.
Bangladesh went ahead in the 29th minute when Ameli, who was wearing the captain’s armband, headed the ball home from a Raihan Hasan throw-in.
Pakistani captain Ishaq converted a header of his own from an Adnan Ahmed corner in the 35th minute to level the scores at 1-1.
In the 43rd minute, Pakistan nearly took the lead when Adnan Farooq’s curling cross found Bashir unmarked in the middle of the Bangladeshi box, but the tall forward failed to find the target.
Bangladesh continued to press, knowing that they would need to win by a sizable margin to give themselves a chance to advance. De Kruif made three changes in the second half in his quest to find the goals they needed.
Ameli unleashed a powerful shot at the far post off Sohel Rana’s corner in the 52nd minute, but the Pakistan keeper made a diving save to keep him out.
Substitute striker Wahed Ahmed had a chance to give Bangladesh the lead again in the 69th minute, but his header from six yards out was well off-target.
Injured skipper Mamunul Islam took the field with 10 minutes left in the game and fired in a powerful shot from outside the box, but the Pakistani stopper caught the ball cleanly.
Pakistan then caught Bangladesh on the counter-attack in the second of three stoppage-time minutes, when substitute striker Kalim Ullah put the winning goal past the Bangladeshi keeper and briefly put Pakistan in position to go through to the next round.
In the day’s other match-up, which kicked off at the same time as the Bangladesh-Pakistan clash, Anil Gurung and Jumanu Rai scored for Nepal in the 70th and 81st minutes respectively before Syed Nabi pulled one back for India in the 92nd minute.
-With New Age input
