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Players’ performance praised

Sports Reporter
"Bangladesh players gave a good account of themselves despite the felt Improvement tn the standard of the other hockey playing nations of Asia." was the gist of the addresses made by the officials who accompanied the youth hockey team In the recently concluded qualifying meet In Kuala Lumpur to decide the three Asian representatives in next year's World Junior Championship.
Yesterday, at a press conference at the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF), team coach Ehtesham Sultan praised his boys for their gallant show against their more experienced opponents. Although the competition was for players from the undcr-21 years age group most of the other teams had enough exposure prior to this tournament. Hosts Malaysia played as many as 40 trial matches to help their players grow the much-needed match temperament.
Bangladesh team manager Ibrahim Saber, himself a quality hockey player and a cham pion all routld sportsman of yesteryears, culled food as the main problem for the Bangladeshi players
"Our players are not used to the Malaysian cutsine with coconut oil as Its essential in gredlent. Our players avoided cooked food and relied mainly on fruits. As a result the nutri <1on of 'our players was af fected.'
Replylng to a query from a Journalist Ibrahim Saber said "Our embassy tn Kuala Lumpur was of no help to us. One or two officials were seen on the match days but they did not bother to Inquire about the problems and requirements of the boys' he lamented
Other teams which faced the food problem but were bet ter off financially took their players out to dine in restaurants that offered menu of thetr choices. Saber said.
Ehtesham Sultan was par tlculariy eulogistic about the defence of the Bangladesh team.
Referring to the match against India which Bangladesh lost narrowly by the odd goal in the three the veteran coach observed, "we were distinctly unlucky as the video tape revealed that both the Indian goals were scored under debatable circumstances.
"Indian forward Rlaz was in an offside position while scoring the equaliser while Herpreet s winning goal was not legitimate from the viewpoint of the extant regulations of the game’
"However, the boys gave their best display against India," the coach said with some degree of pride. Ibrahim Saber further Illustrated this point by adding that Bangladesh was not outplayed
In any of the matches.
Akhtar of Bangladesh scored five goals. Including a hattrick, against Singapore to emerge as the third highest scorer tn this tournament.
Mohammad Shahbaz and Qamran Ashraf of Pakistan were the two top scorers with 1 I and 9 goals respectively. Bangladesh scored 13 goals from six matches with the biggest margin being recorded at 7-2 against Singapore
Bangladesh lost to South Korea, the eventual third-place finishers, by 5-1. the biggest margin of defeat for fifth-placed Bangladesh
Pakistan came out champions while hosts Malaysia carved out a creditable runner up. ahead of a more fancied Indian add South Korea.
Both the Bangladesh team officials accentuated the Im portance of more international exposure for the improvement of the standard of our hockey
"Facilities available here are not adequate. We don't have a synthetic turf. Even the balls that were used tn this tourna ment are not used in our country". quipped a canny Saber who lauded the performance of the team despite its finishing fifth, a rank below the fourth position held by Bangladesh four years ago In the same competition In New Delhi.
Originally a 12 team meet, the competition held between Sept 11 and 21. was restricted to ten nations as Macao and Chinese Taipei pulled out at the eleventh hour.