The Bangladesh U-23 football team suffered a 2-4 goal defeat against their Vietnamese counterparts in a practice match ahead of the 17th Asian Games at the Munhak Football Field Auxiliary Pitch in Incheon, South Korea yesterday.
Vietnam, who are 31 places above Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings, seemingly notched up an easy win as they took a 3-0 lead after the hour mark, scoring in the 18th, 25th and 63rd minutes, before Bangladesh pulled two goals back. However, the Southeast Asian nation sealed the fate of the match by scoring a fourth goal in the last minute of the match.
Bangladesh coach Lodewijk de Kruif fielded Jewel Rana and Hemanta Vincent up front in the starting line-up instead of regular strikers Wahed Ahmed and Taklish Ahmed.  Yeamin Munna, Kesto Kumar, Rayhan Hasan and Yeasin Khan were slated behind four midfielders -- Mamunul Islam, Jamal Bhuiyan, Sohel Rana and Yousuf Sifat.
According to the Bangladesh Football Federation press release, Bangladesh could have made the margin 2-1 in the first half had forward Jewel Rana not squandered an easy opportunity in the 45th minute.
After trailing by three goals, Wahed came off the bench and pulled one goal back in the 70th minute after being set up by Sohel. Another substitute Toklish made it 3-2 in the 75th minute but Vietnam scored the fourth goal in the 90th minute to ensure the victory over Bangladesh, who will play their first match of Asian Games against Afghanistan on September 15.
“The scoreline could have been 6-6 had both sides availed the opportunities they got,” De Kruif was quoted as saying by the BFF.
De Kruif claimed that Bangladesh conceded the defeat despite playing good football. However, the defence was a cause for concern due to the absence of Atiqur Rahman Meshu, who was ruled out of the Asian Games after sustaining an ankle injury during Tuesday's practice session.
“Doctors at the Games Village advised Meshu to take at least one-and-a-half month of rest. The coach wants him to be replaced by forward Mithun Chowdhury,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag.
Mithun, who has been training with Sheikh Russel KC for the AFC President's Cup scheduled for September 20 to 26 in Colombo, was not drafted in the initial 30-member list that was sent to the Asian Games. However, the BFF is looking into the possibility of including Mithun in place of Meshu.