The challenge of taking on a fast-paced Kyrgyzstan proved too tough to handle for Bangladesh as the men in red and green suffered a 4-1 defeat to the hosts in their second and final match of Three Nations Cup at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek last night.

It was expected that the match against the Central Asian nation, who are 87 places ahead of Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings, was going to be a tougher affair than Bangladesh's previous game against Palestine. And the edge in terms of pace, skills, technique and tactics from Kyrgyzstan was evident as they proved difficult to deal with till the last minute.

Jamie Day made four changes to the playing eleven, drafting in Canada-based Rahbar Wahed Khan along with first-choice goalkeeper Anisur Rahman, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil and Riyadul Hasan. But the visitors time and again failed to contend with the home side in one department, letting them capitalise on their pace to score all three goals.

Kyrgyzstan dominated and exposed Bangladesh's five-man backline time and again and went to the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead. After resumption, they added two more goals on either side of Bangladesh's consolation strike.

Although Day's charges failed to hold possession and exchange passes to the extent they had done against Palestine, they fought bravely and tried to attack on the break. Most importantly, they penetrated into the box a few times on either side of the break and even pulled a goal back.

The hosts made inroads in the 10th minute when Elder Moldozhunusov tapped in an Alimardon Shukurov free-kick before Tapu made a brilliant goal-line clearance in the 16th minute.

Bangladesh then caused havoc in the Kyrgyz box and exchanged passes inside the area but the ball was cleared safely at the cost of a corner in the 27th minute. Alimardon Shukurov then collected a cut-back from left-back Kairat Izakov and doubled the lead with a left-footed drive from inside the box in the 39th minute.

After resumption, Kyrgyzstan made it 3-0 within the first minute as winger Gulzhigit Alykulov easily entered the box from the left and passed to captain Tursunali Rustamov, who drove home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Bangladesh reacted soon after, scoring in the 53rd minute when a long throw-in by substitute Rahmat Mia was cleared feebly to Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, who brought the ball under his spell nicely before driving to the near post.

Despite their two-goal cushion, the home side continued to press with the same pace as they looked to widen the margin and Bangladesh survived a scare in the 69th minute as a shot came off the post.

Goalkeeper Anisur was then called into action in the 87th minute and made a save, but he was powerless to stop the hosts' fourth in the 89th minute.

Bakhtiyar Duyshobekov, who plays in the Bangladesh Premier League, wrapped up the win with a header that took a deflection off a Bangladeshi player.