Bangladesh 0-0 India
Bangladesh kicked off the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers by holding mighty India to a draw, securing a valuable point.
Right after kickoff, Bangladesh knocked on the door with an early chance but astonishingly wasted it. Shahriar Emon sent a kickoff pass to Hamza Chowdhury, who immediately delivered a long ball to the right. Mojibur Rahman Jony wasn’t fully prepared, but when Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith’s clearance landed at his feet, he hurriedly shot from a tough angle, only to hit the side netting of an empty post!
Throughout the first half, Bangladesh created multiple opportunities but failed to capitalize on any. Despite playing on familiar turf with home crowd support, even Sunil Chhetri, returning from retirement, couldn’t shine; neither could India find the net. The match ended goalless.
Bangladesh started confidently. In the 10th minute, Emon’s header from a Shakil Ahad Tapu cross went just wide. Shortly after, a defender cleared a potential threat between Rakib and Jony for a corner. As Hamza came to take the corner, the crowd surprisingly booed despite cheering him during the pre-match announcement!
Kaith’s poor goal kick presented another chance when it hit Shakil’s back and fell to Hridoy inside the box. However, his shot was deflected for a corner by Subhashish Bose.
In the 18th minute, Emon failed to properly head a cross from Sheikh Morsalin, which could have broken the deadlock. Shortly after, veteran defender Tapu left the field injured, replaced by Rahmat Mia.
Kazi Tariq Raihan effectively marked Chhetri from the start, ensuring goalkeeper Mitul faced minimal threats. In the 28th minute, Mitul comfortably saved Liston Colaco’s shot from the near post.
Mitul faced his first real test in the 31st minute. Shakil blocked Udanta Singh’s header from a Colaco cross on the goal line. Farukh Chowdhury’s rebound was also saved by a diving Mitul.
Ten minutes later, Jony squandered another golden opportunity. After receiving a header pass from Emon, he burst into the box but failed to chip or shoot properly, allowing Kaith to clear effortlessly.
India found their rhythm in the second half, with Tapu Barman’s absence slightly felt. Chhetri launched repeated attacks after breaking free from the first-half shackles. In the 55th minute, he missed Colaco’s cross by inches. Later, Hamza blocked Chhetri’s header, despite the Indian legend appealing for handball, which the referee ignored.
In the 62nd minute, coach Javier Cabrera substituted Emon and Jony for Faisal Ahmed Fahim and Chandan Roy. Chhetri’s shot from a corner soon after flew well over the crossbar.
Ten minutes later, Bangladesh nearly got into trouble. Indian coach Igor Stimac had earlier criticized the slippery pitch after their Maldives match, and Bangladesh faced a similar issue. Saduddin slipped while receiving a back pass, and the ball fell to Chhetri. His short pass to Suresh Singh Jangjam ended with a shot that went wide.
Bangladesh showed signs of shaking off second-half lethargy. Rakib’s cross found Fahim, but his shot sailed high over the bar. In the 79th minute, Cabrera made two more substitutions, replacing Hridoy and Morsalin with Sohel Rana and Sohel Rana Jr.
In the 85th minute, India substituted their all-time top scorer Chhetri for Irfan Wadood. Towards the end, Kaith denied Fahim’s long-range shot. In the final minute of added time, Rakib’s shot went over the crossbar. Thus, a match filled with excitement and anticipation concluded with a satisfying draw for both neighbors.
