Bangladesh

Bangladesh got a taste of what to expect in the virtual dress rehearsal for the final when they suffered a 1-3 defeat against India in their last robin league match of the Under-21 Challenge Cup hockey tournament at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium yesterday.

The two top seeds in the meet face off in the final of the five-nation competition today at the same venue at 3pm but on yesterday's evidence the hosts have to get show all-round improvement if they are to take the fight to the powerful Indians.


The home team did look the more enterprising in the beginning and were more pacy but they missed their early chances and allowed the experienced Indians to gradually take control. India led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a penalty corner converted by Mayur Subbaiah in the 32nd minute.


Mamunur Rahman brought Bangladesh back in the match briefly also from a penalty corner in the 44th minute but India replied with two field goals in the 49th and 69th minutes through Bhagwant Singh and Vikas Toppo.

Despite the defeat, Bangladesh coach Qamar Ibrahin was pleased with the performance and said he will adopt a different strategy in the final.


"I was impressed by the way the boys played against their superior opponents. They missed a lot of good chances otherwise the result could have been different. I think experience made the difference," said the former Pakistani international who took over the team a month ago.


Ibrahim was a little concerned though with the side's failure to make the most of penalty corners.

"The boys are still struggling with penalty corners. They are not stopping the ball properly but in hockey you have to utilise even half opportunities."

India's coach Mukesh Kumar, a former Indian international and a popular figure in this country because of his association with Abahani in 1997, termed the match as a warm-up game and said results were of little significance.


"I wouldn't have minded even if we had lost the match but the win will inspire my side," said Mukesh who also praised the Bangladeshi lads.

"They had enough chances but just failed to capitalise them."

Mukesh also informed that the team that has come to Dhaka was not the original Indian Under-21 squad. Rather it was a combination of fringe players of the Under-18, 19 and 21 selections. "The original Under-21 side is going to Australia later this month."

In the other fixture of the day, Oman scored a solitary goal victory over Myanmar at the BKSP to finish third in the competition. Al-Shibli scored the all-important goal in the sixth minute.


Bangladesh's Mamunur Rahman (2nd from R) challenges an Indian forward during their match in the Challenge Cup under-21 invitational hockey tournament at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium yesterday.

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