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Alfaz-powered Bangladesh

Maldives bury Bhutan

SPORTS REPORTER
A 30th minute strike by Alfaz Ahmed gave hosts Bangladesh a winning start in the Third South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship yesterday.
But the lone goal victory against Nepal at the floodlit Bangabandhu National Stadium was far from impressive for George Kottan's men who have been working together for the last two years.
Earlier in the afternoon, Maldives greeted Bhutan into international football with a 6-0 thrashing with Ali Shiham, the striker of the much-improved tiny islanders, scoring the first hattrick of the eight-nation meet.
Alfaz, a doubtful starter in the FROM PAGE 1
Austro-Hungarian coach's plan, sent the home crowd into raptures when with a neatly placed shot past Nepalese custodian Upendra Man Singh's left-hand post.
Interestingly, Alfaz also scored the only goal when the two teams last met in the final of the 1999 Kathmandu SAF Games.
The experienced forward needed only two minutes to make up for his blunder with his signature finishing after a Motiur Munna floater came his way via a Kanchan nod inside the box.
Motiur also set up the ace marksman up two minutes before the goal with an intelligent back heel that caught the Nepalese defence napping. But Alfaz with all the time in the world and only Upendra to beat blasted his effort over the bar.
But apart from the two quick openings in the first half Bangladesh created hardly anything to entertain the home supporters. Besides, the national team's ordinary showing ahead of their tough second Group B match against Maldives on Monday created a sense of discomfort.
Although the national team tried to make an impact in their quest for a first SAFF title, but it only end up running aimlessly in the remainder.
The passing was dreadfully off target and nobody seemed aware that holding on to the ball was just as important as shooting it.
On the other hand the Nepalese with eight players having the experience of playing in Dhaka football were a more organised unit especially in the second half.
They came close to scoring five minutes before the break when Anant Raj Thapa unleashed a
grounder past Bangladesh keeper Aminul which needed a goal-line clearance by right-back Hasan-al Mamun.
They pressed hard for the equaliser in the second session and opened up the Bangladesh defence twice. Nepal's best chance came in the 70th minute when Ananth sprang the off-side trap but just as he was about to shoot Aminul closed him down.
The Bangladesh custodian was again called upon in the dying moments when he came out of his area to clear a menacing cross.
The win meant Bangladesh joined Maldives at the top of Group B with both teams having collected three points.
Defending champions India faced a must-win situation when they take on Afghanistan in today's second match. The two-time winners suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Pakistan on Friday.
Pakistan meet Sri Lanka in the first match of the day. The Lankans also won their opening game against Afghanistan 1-0.
Yellow cards: Narayan Manandhar, Sunil Tuladhar (Nepal) and Hasan-al Mamun (Bangladesh).
TEAMS
BANGLADESH: Aminul, Hasan al Mamun, Sujon, Rajani, Nazrul, Parvez (Hasan), Motiur Munna, Arman, Arif Khan Joy, Kanchan (Moni) and Alfaz.
NEPAL: Upendra Man Singh, Rakesh, Deepak, Banl Gopal, Niranjan, Anant Raj, Narayan (Sukra Man), Basanta Thapa, Rajan (Kumar Thapa), Hari Khadka (Navin) and Sunil Tuladhar.
Referee: Kunsuta Chaiwat (Thailand).