Sports Desk:

Bangladesh ended their AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifying campaign on a high with a commanding 4-1 victory over Singapore in Vietnam. Both teams were already out of contention after defeats to Vietnam and Yemen, but Bangladesh showed pride and spirit to finish third in the group.

The first half saw a tight battle with neither side able to break the deadlock. Bangladesh looked sharper and more organised than in their earlier games. Captain Sheikh Morsalin pulled the strings in midfield, while left-back Zayyan Ahmed displayed calmness in possession. The standout performer, however, was goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon.

On 30 minutes, Srabon pulled off a superb stop to deny Louka’s effort. His best moment came just before the interval when Ghadessy struck a curling free-kick in stoppage time. Diving full length to his right, Srabon produced a stunning save to keep the score 0-0 at the break.

The second half told a different story. Bangladesh came out with intent, pushing more players forward and controlling the tempo. With qualification no longer possible, the motivation was clear: play for pride and prove their quality. Fresh legs, including Fahamedul Islam, injected energy and gave Bangladesh the upper hand.

The breakthrough arrived on 70 minutes when Fahamedul unleashed a brilliant strike from outside the box. The goal lifted the entire team, and within moments Al-Amin pounced to double the lead with a simple finish. Singapore responded by pushing more men forward, but their desperation left them exposed.

Mohsin punished them on 80 minutes, calmly slotting home to make it 3-0. Just two minutes later, captain Sheikh Morsalin capped his fine performance with a brilliant goal, driving home Bangladesh’s fourth. The more Singapore pressed, the more space Bangladesh found in attack.

Singapore did manage a consolation when Rahim scored in the first minute of stoppage time. Bangladesh nearly had a fifth when Al-Amin played a perfect long ball to Morsalin in the 93rd minute, but the captain narrowly missed. The referee blew the final whistle soon after to confirm a convincing 4-1 result.

There was also a symbolic moment late on as Cuba Mitchell, recently cleared to represent Bangladesh, entered when he replaced Sabbir in the 87th minute. His introduction added to the sense of optimism for the team’s future.

The group stage ended with Bangladesh finishing above Singapore in third place. Despite earlier setbacks, the win underlined what this team is capable of. Against Yemen, Bangladesh’s performance deserved more, but this time they earned the reward their play merited. The manner of the victory showed growth, character, and a glimpse of the talent emerging in the squad.