Hosts Bangladesh suffered a narrow 1-2 defeat to Singapore in a FIFA international friendly match despite taking an early lead at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday. Veteran defender Nasiruddin Chowdhury again showed his scoring ability by scoring in the fourth minute of the match. But the lead was cancelled out by Singapore’s number 10 Nawaz a minute after the half-hour mark before Bin Kamal dashed the hopes of the hosts with a brilliant strike in the 72nd minute.
Bangladesh once again suffered the absence of a good finisher as they squandered many scoring opportunities that cost them their first ever win against Singapore.
Sohel Rana, the attacking midfielder, wasted couple of golden chances to deprive his side from the victory.
Singapore, the four time winners of the ASEAN Football Championship who are seven steps ahead of Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings, failed to impose their authority in the field.
But they capitalised on two silly mistakes of Bangladesh defenders to punish the home side.
Bangladeshi defenders repeatedly fouled Singapore players around the danger zone. As a result they conceded at least four set-pieces but they were lucky not to concede any goals from those.
They were rather the first beneficiary of a free kick as Nasir out jumped his marker to head a Mamunul Islam’s free kick home just four minutes from the start.
Bangladesh keeper Mazharul Islam Hemel produced a decent save to deny Singapore striker Nawaz’s close-range effort in the 13th minute before Rayhan Hasan cleared the ball from a rebounder.
The Sheikh Jamal goalkeeper again rescued his side with a brilliant save five minutes later to punch away a powerful free-kick of Shaiful Esah.
The home side went close to double the lead in the 25th minute when Enamul’s flick from Mamunul cross forced Singapore keeper Abdullah Sunny to make a brilliant diving save from goal-line.
Zahid Hasan Ameli managed to send the rebound into the net but the referee disallowed it for an offside.
Nawaz equalised for the visitors in the 31st minute as his header from a goalmouth melee was initially blocked by Bangladesh keeper Hemel but the striker outmuscled his marker to tap home on rebound into the net.
Bangladesh could have regained the lead two minutes before the first-half but Sohel Rana missed a great chance by blasting the ball in front of an empty net.
Singapore amazed the hosts when striker Kamal put the Southeast Asian outfits ahead in the 72nd minute.
Hafiz bin Abu Sujad cut a corner in the middle of the box. Bangladesh keeper Hemel punched it but the ball landed into the feet of Kamal, who shot the ball into the far post net to make it 2-1.
Bangladesh coach Lodewijk de Kruif tried his luck by making six substitutes but it did not change the result.
Bangladesh will play their second and last warm-up match against Afghanistan on Tuesday before staring their World Cup qualifying campaign on June 11.
RESULT
Bangladesh 1 (Nasiruddin Chowdhury 4) v Singapore 2 (Nawaz 31, Kamal 72)
-With New Age input
