Despite the chilly conditions in Chongqing, China, Bangladesh’s young footballers delivered a superb performance in their opening AFC U-17 qualifier, securing a commanding 5–0 victory over Timor-Leste. The goals came from Rifat Kazi, Bayezid Bostami, Akash Mahdu, and a brace from Manik, marking a dominant start to their campaign.
Bangladesh opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Rifat Kazi headed in a pinpoint cross from Manik. Seventeen minutes later, Manik doubled the lead by converting a left-footed strike from a free-kick delivered by captain Nazmul Huda Faisal. Just before halftime, Manik struck again with a powerful finish inside the Timor-Leste penalty area, completing his brace and giving Bangladesh a strong 3–0 advantage.
Timor, Dominance Continues After the Break
The momentum continued into the second half. Only four minutes after the restart, Bayezid Bostami calmly slotted home from a clever pass by Azad. With Timor-Leste unable to recover, Bangladesh capped off the win in the 88th minute through a long-range screamer from Akash Mahdu, sealing the emphatic 5–0 triumph.
Coach Golam Rabbani Choton praised the team for their disciplined execution and sharp gameplay.
“The boys stuck to the match plan perfectly, and I appreciate their effort,” he said in a video message shared by BFF.
He added, “We pressed high from the start and focused on scoring early. The players delivered exactly what we aimed for.”
Bangladesh is placed in Group A, featuring hosts China, Brunei, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, and Bahrain. The group winners will qualify for the main tournament in Saudi Arabia next year. Bangladesh will face Brunei Darussalam on November 24 in their next match as they aim to continue their strong momentum.
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