Zahid Hassan Emily’s 18th international goal gave Bangladesh a narrow 1-0 win against Sri Lanka at the Muktijuddho Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi.
With the win the hosts clinched the two-match SS Steel FIFA International Friendly Series 1-0.
The 28-year-old striker, who had scored the only goal in the 1-1 draw against the same opposition in Jessore on Friday, scored the decisive goal from the spot in the 4th minute. Sri Lanka vice captain Nalaka Roshan almost made it 1-1 with an exquisite free kick like he did in the first match only to be denied by the woodwork.
Interim head coach of Bangladesh Saiful Bari Titu made two changes to the starting line up from the first match with Jamal Bhuiyan and Sohel Rana coming in for Ariful Islam and forward Mithun Chowdhury to strengthen the midfield.
Bangladesh made an energetic start getting two consecutive corners inside the first three minutes. The first corner, curled in by skipper Mamunul Islam, was powerfully headed by Emily, but was cleared off the line by Sajith Kumara. A minute later, yet another corner paved the way for the penalty. Mamunul’s darting run from a few yards outside box was cut short just inside by a lunging tackle from Nalaka Roshan which the visitors weren’t happy about the decision.
Emily stepped up and calmly slotted the ball to the left corner sending goalkeeper Sujan Perera the wrong way, to the jubilation of the 22,000 packed crowd.
Sri Lanka weathered the initial onslaught by Bangladesh but were unable to match the hosts’ high-pressing football, resorted to counter-attacking feeding diagonal balls to the wings and the forwards. One such counter-attack caught the Bangladesh defense napping and almost brought disaster in the 28th minute.
Sri Lanka skipper Chaturanga Sanjeewa raced on to the ball, one on one with the goalkeeper. Goalkeeper Mahmud Liton raced forward and made a dreadful challenge on Sanjeewa just outside the penalty box. It was a certain red card on any given day but Bangladesh referee Mizanur Rahman only gave Liton a yellow card for his trouble to the utter shock of the Sri Lankan camp.
Bangladesh have been poor in defending set-pieces in recent times and the visitors almost leveled had it wasn’t for the woodwork, Roshan’s curling effort would have earned his side the equalizer.
A few more hopeful efforts from the Bangladesh players failed to find the target, but they seemed happy to take the series 1-0, which broke their five-match winless streak.
Kavazovic made a brief speech and left the conference abruptly, leaving the team manager and captain in a spot of bother.
The Serbian, who had said after the first match that he never comments on refereeing, stayed true to his words, yet implied he was least pleased with the match officials.
“It’s my message to all boys and girls in the world that they should stop playing football because in football there are many corrupted evil, bad people and if they continue to play football, they will suffer in prime, like my kids,” said Kavazovic with an air of disgust, after congratulating Bangladesh for their ‘deserved victory’.
Kavazovic’s opposite number, Bari Titu, took the safer route.
“No coach is ever satisfied with refereeing, especially when he is on the losing side. It is part of football and we have to accept it,” said the Bangladesh coach.
“I won’t comment on what the Lankan coach said but I’m happy to be on the winning side. One of our main objectives, apart from the sport’s promotion, was to play entertaining football and I’m happy that both the matches were very entertaining,” he said.
Titu also gave credit to both sides for playing ‘excellent’ football in a space of three days.
