Left fullback Feroz Mahmud Titu slammed home a curling shot from inside the box in the 83rd minute as Bangladesh edged Pakistan 1-0 in the Asian Cup pre-qualifying return-leg match at the People's Sports Complex Stadium in Karachi.

The first-leg in Dhaka on December 22 ended in a goalless draw.

Bangladesh also defeated Pakistan by an identical margin in the SAFF Championship semifinal at the same venue on December 14 before being dethroned by India.

Bangladesh's Argentine coach Diego Cruciani, banned by the Asian Football Confederation to sit on the bench for his argument with Indian referee Rizwan Ul Haque after the first leg match in Dhaka, watched the match from the stands but was allowed to visit his charges during half-time in the dressing room.

Manager Sayeed Hassan Kanan told The Daily Star Sport over phone that Bangladesh played better in the second half.

"Both sides played tough in the first half with very little chances created. But we dominated the second half and could have won by a wider margin had not Alfaz wasted a sitter and Abul missed a good chance," Kanan told after the match.

Bangladesh, who return home today, join Palestine, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, India and debutant Australia in Pot D for the lowest seeded teams in the 24-team qualifiers.

Australia, who formally join the AFC on January 1, have been given the lowest rank as newcomers.

One team will be drawn in each of the six qualifying groups from each Pot at the draw at AFC House on January 4.

The qualifiers will begin on February 22. Top two teams from each group will make it to the finals.

The Asian Cup 2007 is scheduled to kick off on June 23 in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand, who all qualified automatically.

Bangladesh team: Aminul, Hassan Al Mamun, Rajani, Sujan, Titu, Abul (Kanchan), Joy, Munna (Parvez Babu), Ujjal, Alfaz (Arman Aziz) and Emily.