Bangladesh’s dream to win the Bangabandhu Gold Cup lies shattered even as they scored back-to-back goals only to see Malaysia score in the dying minutes to prevail in a 3-2 thriller.
A 92nd minute winner by the Southeast Asians broke the hearts of millions of Bangladeshis at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.
In the first half, goals from Nazirul Naim and Sathasivam Kumaahran put Malaysia ahead.
Zahid Hasan Emily and Yeasin Khan equalised after the break to bring Bangladesh back into the match.
But Muhamad Faizat headed home in the stoppage time to hand his side their fourth straight win in the tournament.
Bangladesh’s hopes were dealt a huge blow even before the kick-off as midfielder Hemata Vincent Biswas, who had put in a rousing performance in the past three matches, was injured while warming up.
Coach Lodewijk de Kruif replaced him with Monayem Khan Raju.
In the seventh minute, the second blow came for Bangladesh when striker Jahid Hossain was taken off with an injury. Abdul Baten Majumder Komol came in his place.
Losing Hemanta and Jahid, the hosts lost their rhythm in the first 45 minuted and Malaysia scored twice to make things worse.
Emily missed a good chance in the 12th minute and some minutes later, Jamal Bhuyan let go of another opportunity.
Goalkeeper Shahidul Islam kept the hosts in the match by making a magnificent save in the 20th minute.
Malaysia went on the scoresheet in the 31st minute after Yeasin Khan’s foul awarded the visitors a free kick and Malaysia skipper Naim’s left-footed effort went in giving Shahidul no chance.
Five minutes before the break, Bangladesh skipper Mamunul Islam’s shot was blocked by the defence and the Malaysian hit the hosts on the break to double their lead.
Mohammed Syazwan ran at speed on the left flank and sent it through to Sathasivam Kumaahran who scooted away from the defenders and rolled it at the far corner of the net.
Bangladesh, however, came out all guns blazing in the second half and soon pulled one back.
In the 49th minute, Md Rayhan Hasan’s throw into the box was headed by Md Nasir Uddin but a Malaysian defender denied him. But Emily crashed the rebound into the goal.
The hosts pressed on and levelled the score six minutes later when Yeasin Khan powered a header past the goalkeeper from Mamunul Islam’s corner, sending the near capacity crowd into raptures.
They continued dominating the proceedings with an array of attacks to push the Malaysian backline further behind.
But in the last minute of the three added minutes, Muhamad Faizat, adjudged Player of the Final, headed Syazwan’s corner into the back of the net to stun Bangladesh into silence.
The hosts’ midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan has been adjudged Player of the Tournament.
Group A champions Malaysia had beaten Singapore 1-0 and Bangladesh defeated Thailand by the same margin in the semifinals.
The Malaysians had beaten Bangladesh 1-0 in the opening match of the tournament.
The Bangladesh national team took part in the competition in 1999 for the first time after it kicked off in 1996 with clubs.
But they never made it past group stages.
