Singapore douses Bangladesh’s hopes with 2-1 victory
Singapore reignited memories of their 2015 friendly win against Bangladesh, defeating the hosts 2-1 in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier at Dhaka’s National Stadium on Tuesday.
This crucial victory propelled Singapore to the top of their group, dampening Bangladesh’s festive atmosphere and their dream of returning to the Asian Cup after 45 years.
Singapore took a 1-0 lead in the first half and extended it to 2-0 early in the second. Bangladesh’s Rakib Hossain pulled one back in the 68th minute, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the match.
The loss dealt a significant blow to Bangladesh’s qualification hopes, which had been buoyed by a recent draw against India in Shillong.
The packed stadium buzzed with excitement, but Singapore’s clinical performance extinguished the celebratory mood. This marked their second consecutive victory over Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Match highlights
Bangladesh’s defensive approach backfired early. In the 9th minute, Singapore’s Harris Stewart launched a long throw, but Wing Song failed to connect. Bangladesh’s first chance came in the 16th minute when Shakil Ahad Tapu’s cross found Rakib Hossain in the box, but Rakib couldn’t capitalise.
Goalkeeper Mitul Marma kept Bangladesh in the game with a vital save in the 30th minute, denying Ikhsan Fandi. However, Singapore broke the deadlock in the 45th minute. A throw-in from the right caught Mitul off-position; he punched the ball clear but couldn’t recover in time. Sung-young capitalised, slotting the ball into the net despite Hamza Chowdhury’s attempt to block.
In the 48th minute, substitute Shahriar Emon missed a golden opportunity from Rakib’s cross. Singapore doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Ikhsan Fandi outmaneuvered Md. Riday and scored with a precise shot. Bangladesh responded in the 68th minute as Rakib Hossain latched onto a through ball from Hamza and beat the Singapore goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
Coach Javier Cabrera ramped up the attack, increasing the tempo, but Bangladesh squandered several chances. In the dying moments, Shahriar Emon’s header from a corner struck the crossbar, with luck deserting the hosts.
Tactical missteps and missed opportunities
Bangladesh’s cautious strategy allowed Singapore to dominate early. Despite late attacking substitutions, the team couldn’t convert their chances. A draw could have kept Bangladesh’s hopes alive, especially after India’s loss to Hong Kong in the group’s other match. Singapore now leads the standings.
Bangladesh XI:
Mitul Marma, Tapu Barman, Tariq Kazi, Saad Uddin, Shakil Ahad Tapu (Al-Amin), Hamza Chowdhury, Shamit Som, Kazem Shah (Shahriar Emon), Md. Riday (Al-Amin), Fahamidul Islam (Fahim), Rakib Hossain.
