Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka 4-0 at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday, qualifying for the SAFF Championship semi-finals as Group A champions. The hosts have six points from two matches, scoring five goals without conceding any. They will face Pakistan in Saturday’s semi-final.
The hosts opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Bhutan, courtesy of a goal by substitute Mohammad Ibrahim. A 2-2 draw between Sri Lanka and Bhutan on Sunday had already secured Bangladesh’s place in the last four, making Wednesday’s match a battle for top spot. Bangladesh pressed from the start, preventing Sri Lanka from finding any rhythm.
The match was particularly special for Hamza Choudhury, who joined the squad for the remainder of the tournament after completing his club commitments. It was his first appearance in this edition, and he wore the captain’s armband for the first time.
Bangladesh took the lead within the opening 10 minutes when Sri Lanka goalkeeper Sujan Perera failed to hold Hamza’s cross, allowing Samit Som to score from the rebound inside the box. Hamza doubled the lead just before half-time with a brilliant individual effort, sending the hosts into the break 2-0 ahead.
The momentum remained unchanged after the interval. Within minutes of the restart, 19-year-old winger Farhan Ali Wahid beat several defenders to score the third goal on his tournament debut. Rakib Hossain added a fourth seven minutes from time to complete the victory. Despite a few Sri Lankan attacks, Bangladesh’s defense held firm to record a second consecutive clean sheet.
Coach Thomas Dooley praised Farhan’s goal as “unbelievable” and “beautiful” after the match, while expressing satisfaction with the team’s goals and fighting spirit. Bhutan finished as Group A runners-up, while Sri Lanka were eliminated. In Group B, Pakistan had secured their semi-final spot earlier by beating the Maldives 3-0 on Sunday to become the first team in the last four.
Bangladesh last won the SAFF Championship in 2003, with the title drought now reaching 23 years. Consecutive home wins—1-0 followed by 4-0—have raised supporters’ hopes, and scoring five goals without conceding in the group stage will naturally boost team confidence. However, the semi-final presents a completely different test where a single mistake can lead to elimination, making defensive solidity and attacking sharpness on Saturday the main challenge ahead.
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