Pakistan Coach Solano Sympathises With Shrabon Despite Winning Through His Error, Says Stopping Hamza Was Their Plan

Until the 85th minute, Mehedi Hasan Shrabon was Bangladesh's last reliance in defence. By turning away goal-bound shots from Ali Uzair, Adil Nabi and Ali Khan, he kept hope alive in the gallery. But in the 86th minute, one error by him shattered the dream of reaching the SAFF Championship final after 21 years.

On Saturday night, Pakistan used that error by Shrabon to beat Bangladesh 1-0 and reach the SAFF final for the first time. Yet Pakistan coach Nolberto Solano showed no extra celebration over winning through the opposing goalkeeper's error; instead, sympathy for Shrabon came through in his voice.

At the post-match press conference, the question of the Bangladesh goalkeeper's error naturally came up. A journalist asked Solano whether he had expected such an error from the Bangladesh goalkeeper. In reply, the Pakistan coach recalled the uncertainty of football: 'Oh no, I mean it is part of the game. As I said, you have a very good team, you have a very good coach, so this is football, friend. Sometimes this happens.'

Before Solano, Bangladesh coach Thomas Dooley had come to the press conference and stood by his player. Amid the pain of missing the final ticket, opposing coach Solano also stood beside Shrabon. Referring to the moment that decided the match, he said, 'We got a chance and, as you said, anyone can make a mistake. But to be in such a position today, to play such a match and win and reach the final, we are very proud.'

Pakistan had not taken the field merely waiting for a goalkeeper's error; they came with a specific plan against Bangladesh. In particular, neutralising Bangladesh midfield engine Hamza Chowdhury was Solano's main scheme. Saying that plan succeeded, the Pakistan coach said, 'We knew they have Hamza, he is a great player, he has the most experience in the team. He did not get the ball, because we blocked that area, and that was part of the team's plan. He was not to be allowed to play freely with the ball at his feet, because he is a very experienced player.'

Although this disappointing defeat lengthened Bangladesh's title drought, Solano is optimistic about the host team's future. Impressed by the packed gallery and atmosphere at Dhaka's National Stadium, the coach told Bangladesh supporters, 'I know Bangladesh football has improved a lot, but this is football. Keep supporting your country. This is only one tournament, but I believe your future is very bright.'