AFC Challenge Cup
Bangladesh in quarterfinals
Sports Reporter
Two late goals by midfielder Abul Hossain saw Bangladesh scratch a face saving 3-0 win over world's lowest ranked team Guam in their second match of the AFC Challenge Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday.The win meant that Bangladesh joined Palestine in the quarterfinals from Group C with maximum six points. After a frustrating first half, which ended goalless, Emily opened the scoring in the 49th minute while Abul, who had spoiled a sitter in first-half stoppage time, added his brace in the 83 and 85 minutes. A drizzle before the match cooled the weather but Bangladesh failed to utilise the advantage as the footballers, perhaps over-confident after Guam's massive 11-0 defeat in the opener, were trying to go for individual glory. The hosts piled on tremendous pressure from the start but Guam defended doggedly with an eight-pack backline as a green tide swelled near their bar. The Bangladeshi attack drew early blood when overlapping fullback Siraji cut a low cross to Abul in the eighth minute. But the midfielder's angular drive was parried by Guam custodian Brett Maluwelmeng's legworks and a lurking Emily shot the rebound into the sidenetting. Siraji then let fly a right-footer in the 13th minute but the ball whistled past Maluwelmeng's upright before Emily and Alfaz blew chances over the post inside from the box. In the first-half injury time, Abul committed an unpardonable mistake when the midfielder kicked the ball into the defensive wall of Maluwelmeng from just two yards. The coach's briefing must have worked during half-time as Bangladesh came out with a certain plan of holding the ball and it paid dividend four minutes later. Emily exchanged a nice pass with Alfaz on the edge of the penalty area and dribbled past two defenders before placing an angular shot into the far post. Rajani headed a corner onto the crossbar in the 64th minute while Maluwelmeng's brilliant saves on efforts by Monwar and substitute Topu kept Bangladesh at bay. The pressure told seven minutes from time when Abul tapped the ball in from a goalmouth melee. Two minutes later, he was at the right place during a corner to drill the ball into the back of the net through a forest of legs after Rajani's header on a Parvez Babu corner was saved from the goalline.
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