Sri Lanka fell short once again in their final group-stage match against Bangladesh, losing 2-0 at the ANFA Complex in Patan.
Heading into this must-win fixture, Sri Lankan manager Rajamany Devasagayam made three changes to the starting XI from the previous game. One of these changes was shifting skipper Muhammedhu Munsif to play the number nine role. Munsif had an impressive performance as the number ten against hosts Nepal, even though Sri Lanka ended up on the losing side.
Just like in their previous game against Nepal, Sri Lanka struggled at the start. The Lankan boys were a bit clumsy and failed to complete critical passes, putting them on the backfoot early on. Amidst the chaos, Bangladesh capitalised on Sri Lanka’s disorganized defence to score their opening goal of the tournament in the 17th minute of the game, courtesy of Bangladeshi striker Mirajul.
Sri Lanka Showing resilience as always, started the second half brightly and showed some consistent ball retention in the opponent’s half causing problems to the Bangladeshi defence.
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In the 66th minute, Sri Lankan midfielder Tenuka Ranaweera displayed brilliant footwork inside the Bangladeshi 18-yard box but was tackled by a Bangladeshi player. Controversially, Ranaweera was shown a yellow card for diving, a decision that raised eyebrows at that critical moment in the game.
As the game entered its dying minutes, the score remained 1-0 in favor of Bangladesh, making it increasingly difficult for Sri Lanka to stage a comeback. With the energy levels of the Sri Lankan players fading, the Bangladeshi attack took full advantage, with Piash Nova scoring their second goal of the game in the 85th minute of the game.
With that defeat, Sri Lanka’s 2024 SAFF Championship run came to an end. Bangladesh and Nepal secured their places in the semifinals, while the other two spots will be confirmed after the remaining games are played in Group B
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