Published: 11:31 PM, 06 November 2026
Ibrahim strikes as Bangladesh edge Bhutan in SAFF Championship opener
Substitute Mohammad Ibrahim struck a second-half winner as Bangladesh began their SAFF Championship campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Bhutan at the National Stadium on Thursday night.
Ibrahim came off the bench to settle a closely contested encounter in the 69th minute, converting a cross from Zayyan, with a superb volley from inside the danger zone to beat Bhutan goalkeeper Zangpo.
The victory gave Bangladesh a winning start to their group campaign, although their failure to convert several scoring opportunities meant they had to settle for a slender margin of victory.
Bangladesh dominated possession and controlled much of the first half, keeping Bhutan pinned back in their own half. However, despite enjoying territorial superiority and creating a number of attacking moves, the hosts struggled to produce the finishing touch.
RakibHossain was particularly active down the right flank, repeatedly attempting to penetrate Bhutan's defensive lines. One of his crosses found BishwanathGhosh, whose header narrowly missed the target. Rakib also tried his luck on several occasions but failed to find the breakthrough.
Bhutan initially remained compact, relying on a low defensive block to frustrate the home side. However, they gradually grew in confidence after the 30th minute, with captainChenchoGyeltshen leading their forward movements through his pace and mobility. The first half ended goalless, with Bangladesh unable to turn their possession advantage into a goal.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 68th minute when Ibrahim made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute.
Bangladesh continued to push forward following the breakthrough, looking to increase their advantage, but their finishing let them down in the closing stages.
One of the most notable features of Bangladesh's starting lineup was defender BishwanathGhosh's deployment as a striker. Having missed the ASEAN Cup squad due to injury, Bishwanath was experimented with in a forward role during preparations for the tournament, and the coach decided to use him in the unfamiliar position against Bhutan.
Bangladesh also had to make a last-minute change to their lineup after defender Topu Barman suffered an injury during the pre-match warm-up. Topu had initially been named captain in the starting XI, but midfielder Quazem Shah replaced him. Regular captain Jamal Bhuyan subsequently took over the captaincy.
Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka in their second and final group match on November 11 at the same venue.
Bangladesh Starting XI: Md Mehdi HasanSarbon (GK), Zayyan Ahmed, Tariq Kazi, BishwanathGhosh, QuazemKirmanee, Jamal Bhuyan (captain), ShamitShome, RakibHossain, MdFoysal Ahmed Fahim, SaadUddin and ZidaneYousuf.
