Bangladesh national football team made a good start to the five-nation SAFF Championship 2021 beating Island nation Sri Lanka 1-0 at the National Stadium in the Maldives' capital Male Friday.
Defender Topu Barman scored the match-winner for Bangladesh in the 55th minute from a penalty amid huge cheers from Bangladeshi supporters (1-0). Topu was named the player of the match, reports UNB.
Bangladesh got the spot-kick when Lankan defender Duckson Puslas handled the ball inside the box when attempting to block a shot.
Duckson, who was cautioned with a yellow card in the first half for a reckless challenge, received marching orders following his second yellow card.
Topu also came close to scoring another goal in the stoppage time of the first half, but his header was carried away by Lankan goalkeeper Sujan Perera.
With the day's feat, Oscar Bruzon, the newly appointed interim head coach of the Bangladesh national football team, proved his worth in his first assignment.
The Spanish national made two changes to his starting lineup. Mohammad Saaduddin and Atiqur Rahman Fahad entered the field in place of Jewel Rana and Biplu Ahmed.
In the remaining matches of the regional competition, Bangladesh will face India on October 4 at 5 pm, the Maldives on October 7 at 10 pm and Nepal on October 13 at 5 pm at the National Stadium.
Earlier this month, the national football team toured Kyrgyzstan to play three matches – two in the Three Nations Cup and one friendly against the Kyrgyz U-23 team – as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship but lost all the matches.