Bangladesh battered in final game

Bangladesh national football team were thrashed 4-1 in their final game of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia on Tuesday as the hosts walked all over them.

Bangladesh ended the campaign without gaining any points, while a win took Malaysia to their first Asian Cup since 2007.

In their quest for qualification, Malaysia got off the blocks quickly. The first solid chance came soon for the hosts. Skipper Shafiq Ahmad hit the woodwork from five yards in the sixth minute.

Bangladesh failed to get a foothold in the game and it seemed that danger lurked at every Malaysian move.

They finally buckled under the pressure, conceding an unnecessary penalty in the 15th minute.

A nervy Atikur Rahman Fahad took a heavy touch in the Bangladesh penalty box instead of clearing the ball with two Malaysian players creeping in. He lost the ball and tried to compensate by going in for a tackle, but committed a foul and the penalty was converted expertly by Safawy.

Bangladesh warded off attack after attack in the next fifteen minutes but found a glimmer of hope in the 31st minute.

Against the run of play, Cabrera’s men equalised as winger Mohammad Ibrahim scored his second goal of the qualifiers.

Defender Bishwanath Ghosh put in his trademark long throw from the right side and winger Rakib Hossain expertly flicked it on for Ibrahim to score.

Bangladesh, time and time again, failed to clear away from corners and their aerial frailties cost them yet again as they conceded their second goal in the 38th minute, failing to clear away.

Defender Shahrul Saad set his defensive partner Dion Cools, who struck it past Zico in the near post. Zico unlike his usual self let one pass very easily as the shot was aimed straight at him.

Malaysia went 3-1 up soon after the restart. In the 47th minute, Shafiq flicked one off his head from a gentle lob and turned it in after he found himself unguarded in front of goal as the Bangladeshi back-line attempted to execute an offside trap.

The Bangladesh defence lacked structure all evening and continued to be in utter disarray as every Malaysian attack looked menacing and it seemed that the night could get embarrassing for the red and green.

As inferred, it got worse for the visitors as Malaysia pounded the final nail in their coffin in the 72nd minute.

Darren Lok tapped it home, scoring Malaysia’s fourth and ending the disastrous night of football for Bangladesh.