Substitute Ibrahim's Goal Gives Bangladesh Winning SAFF Start Against Bhutan
Bangladesh's national football team has made a winning start to the 15th edition of the SAFF Championship, beating Bhutan 1-0. Substitute forward Mohammad Ibrahim's solitary goal sealed the victory for the red-and-green side in their first match, the day's second game, at the National Stadium in Paltan on Thursday.
Earlier in the afternoon, India beat Pakistan 3-2 in the tournament's opening match. After that game, a colourful formal opening ceremony was held at the ground in the evening, where the trophy was unveiled amid fireworks by Aminul Haque, the 2003 SAFF-winning captain and the current government's youth and sports state minister.
With this win, Bangladesh extended its dominance in the tournament, maintaining its unbeaten record against Bhutan in SAFF history, with six wins and one draw in the previous seven meetings.
Bangladesh played in an attacking mood on home ground from the start. The first chance came in the 17th minute, when defender Biswanath Ghosh, playing as a striker in this match, rose to head Rakib Hossain's cross from the right in front of the D-box, but the ball went just wide of the post.
In the 25th minute, Bhutan's goalkeeper saved Faisal Ahmed Fahim's shot and Shamit's powerful effort from the rebound was blocked by the opposition defence. Bangladesh appealed for a handball in the penalty box at that moment, but the referee did not respond.
In the 39th minute of the first half, Biswanath took a shot from Rakib's defence-splitting pass, but it went past the goalpost, and the two teams went into the break goalless.
After the break, head coach Thomas Duli brought on expatriate footballer Fahamedul Islam in place of Fahim. However, from the 45th to the 64th minute, Bhutan took control of midfield and instead threatened the Bangladesh defence several times.
To change the situation, the coach made two substitutions together in the 65th minute: Sohel Rana came on for captain Jamal Bhuyan, and forward Mohammad Ibrahim was brought on for Biswanath.
The change paid off quickly. In that same minute, Fahamedul cut into the box from the left and took a powerful shot, but Bhutanese goalkeeper Gyeltshen Zangpo fisted it away.
The desired moment of the match came in the 68th minute. From Zayan's long pass from outside the box, after Rakib's header, Shamit's return header deflected off a Bhutan defender and fell kindly for substitute Ibrahim. The in-form Fortis FC footballer found the net with a precise right-footed shot to put Bangladesh ahead 1-0.
The hosts defended that one-goal lead skilfully for the rest of the match and left the field with the win.
In their next group match, Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka on November 11; before that, Sri Lanka and Bhutan will meet in the group's other match on November 8.
