Clicky
Sports, Football

U-20 booters held by Guam


Published : 23 Sep 2024 09:22 PM

Ranked 204th in the FIFA standings, Guam's under-20 team managed to hold Bangladesh to a 2-2 draw in Vietnam on Monday, denying Bangladesh the full three points in the AFC U-20 tournament qualifiers.

Bangladesh started strong, taking an early lead through Mirazul Islam, the standout player of the SAFF U-20 tournament. The first half concluded with Bangladesh maintaining their advantage. However, Guam equalised in the 75th minute. Bangladesh regained the lead in the 89th minute with a goal from Moin, only for Guam to level the score again during injury time.

Coach Maruful Haque expressed his disappointment post-match, lamenting the team's inability to maintain their lead on two occasions. He attributed the loss of points to the players' complacency after scoring the first goal, highlighting a lack of maturity at the Under-20 level. Maruf acknowledged his own shortcomings, admitting that he failed to instil a sense of teamwork in the players.

Just three weeks ago, Bangladesh triumphed in the South Asian tournament with a stellar team performance. However, the Asian stage has presented a different challenge, exposing the harsh realities of Bangladeshi football. Coach Maruf has tempered expectations, recognising that playing in the main phase of the Asian Cup is currently unrealistic. 

Instead, he aims for the team to perform well in the remaining matches and secure a position in the third pot of the tournament.

Bangladesh's campaign began with a 0-4 defeat against Syria. In their second match, they managed only a 2-2 draw against a relatively weaker team. The upcoming matches against Vietnam and Bhutan will be crucial. Notably, Bhutan also drew 1-1 with Guam, indicating a competitive group stage ahead.