The Bangladesh national football team’s started their SAFF preparation with a losing note as they suffered a solitary goal defeat to visiting Sri Lanka in the lone FIFA international friendly match held today (Wednesday) at new look Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, BSS reported.
There was huge enthusiasm among the local football fans, who were gathered to support their team but they had to return home with frustration after Bangladesh lost the match despite a fight performance in the jump-packed Sheikh Kamal Stadium.
Mohamad Fazal of Sri Lanka scored the decisive goal for Sri Lanka in the 10th minute with a powerful long range shot giving no chance to Bangladesh custodian Shaidul Alam under the bar.
The boys in red and green, however, tried to stage a fight back in the match after the resumption creating some real scoring chances but failed to convert any of those into a goal and finally they had to leave the field with defeat. The crowd at Nilphamari however enjoyed itself throughout the match.
Although the match had the status of an “International friendly match” but, both the teams looked serious about the match especially for the upcoming SAFF Championship match starting on September 4 in Dhaka.