Bangladesh Thrash Sri Lanka 4-0 to Top SAFF Championship Group

The encounter kicked off at 8:00 PM at the Gulistan National Stadium in the capital, with Bangladesh seizing control of the tempo right from the opening whistle. Driven by home support, the hosts threatened early. In the fifth minute, Bangladesh earned a promising free-kick just outside the penalty area, but Hamza’s curling effort narrowly cleared the crossbar.

It did not take long for the pressure to yield results. In the eighth minute, Hamza orchestrated the opening goal down the right flank. His dangerous cross proved too difficult for Sri Lankan goalkeeper Sujan Perera to handle, resulting in a spilt ball inside the box. Shamit Som reacted quickest, seeing his initial attempt blocked by a defending body before smartly converting the rebound to send the stadium into raptures.

Bangladesh doubled their lead just before the interval. In the 43rd minute, Ibrahim picked out Hamza outside the box with a precise pass. Hamza outpaced a Sri Lankan defender before driving a low shot that deflected off goalkeeper Perera and trickled into the net.

The momentum continued after the restart, with Farhan Ali scoring a breathtaking third goal in the 53rd minute. Picking up possession outside the box, Farhan cut inside from the left side, deftly dribbling past three defenders before slotting a calm finish past the helpless Sri Lankan goalkeeper. The sheer quality of the skill left both opponents and teammates stunned, prompting joyful celebrations as Saad Uddin and others hoisted Farhan into the air.

Rakib, who had been a constant threat throughout the match with his tireless running and dangerous crosses, finally got his reward late in the game. In the 87th minute, he broke free outside the box, outmuscling his marker to go one-on-one with Perera. Showing supreme composure, Rakib delicately chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to put the finishing touch on a commanding 4-0 victory.