Bangladesh lose in thrilling match against Hong Kong

Sports Desk

Bangladesh football team was dreaming of defeating Hong Kong and China with the advantage of home field. They took the lead with a goal from Hamza Chowdhury. After falling behind in a match that changed colors repeatedly, Shamit Som also restored parity. But Javier Cabrera’s team lost with a last-minute goal.

Bangladesh lost 4-3 in a thrilling Asian Cup qualifier at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, with Rafael Marquez completing his hat-trick in the final minute to leave the home crowd stunned.

The defeat has left Bangladesh’s chances of progressing to the next round in doubt – two defeats and a draw have left them with just one point. On the other hand, Hong Kong has moved to the top of the points table with seven points after a 1-1 draw with Singapore and India.

Bangladesh got off to a flying start when Hamza Chowdhury curled a free kick from the left in the 13th minute. The midfielder struck the ball with speed and precision, deflecting it off the head of an opposing defender and into the net.

The goal was a tonic for Cabrera’s men. They usually play in a low block, but this time they pressed high and had a good share of the ball in the first 30 minutes. However, just four minutes into the first half of extra time, Bangladesh made a ridiculous mistake in failing to clear the ball from a corner, which Hong Kong took advantage of to equalize. Everton Camargo easily scored the goal after Faisal Ahmed Fahim’s deflected header was caught in the box.

In the second half, Bangladesh faced a completely different scenario—they had to resist for a long time. In the 50th minute, substitute Rafael scored, giving Hong Kong a 2-1 lead. The packed gallery was stunned, and the small number of Hong Kong fans burst into cheers.

To restore parity, the Kabares made three changes—bringing in Shamit Shome, Jamal Bhuiyan and Fahamedul Islam. However, the results were not immediate, as Bangladesh conceded another goal shortly after.

Taking advantage of Saad Uddin’s loose defending inside the box, Everton passed Camargo to the onrushing Rafael, who effortlessly scored his second goal. Hong Kong went 3-1 up in the 74th minute. The atmosphere in the gallery fell silent, and many spectators began to leave the stadium. But after 10 minutes, many of them had to return – Sheikh Morsalin took advantage of the goalkeeper’s mistake to reduce the gap to 3-2.

In extra time, Shamit Shome levelled the scoreline at 3-3 with a brave effort, raising hopes of a dramatic comeback. But Rafael completed his hat-trick with his third goal in the dying moments, stunning Cabrera’s side to secure a 4-3 victory for Hong Kong.