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Shattered dreams

ANISUR RAHMAN from Incheon
Bangladesh's dream of qualifying for the second round of the Asian Games were shattered as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Hong Kong in their last group match at the Hwaseong Stadium in Incheon yesterday.
The charges of Lodewijk de Kruif dominated proceedings from the beginning with crisp pass-
ing and ball control against a higher-ranked Hong Kong, who were happy to sit back and hit on the counter as they needed just a draw to advance into the knockout stage. That strategy suited Hong Kong perfectly as they scored twice in the second half before Bangladesh reduced the arrears. The win took Hong Kong to the knock out stage along with champions Uzbekistan who thrashed Afghanistan 5-0 in the other match of Group B.
On the other hand, Bangladesh, despite playing admirably well, were left to rue the missed chances by the forwards and a missed opportunity to seal the second-round qualification.
With Zahid Hossain drafted in for a start at the right and Tapu Barman playing as the wing-back, Bangladesh created some brilliant moves down the flank from the beginning, which unsettled the Hong Kong defence. But forward Wahed Ahmed and attacking midfielder Jamal Bhuiya were in such dreadful form in front of goal that those opportunities were completely wasted.
The first attack came in the seventh minute when captain Mamunul Islam tried his luck from 25 yards out, but his powerful left-footed shot went inches wide of the target before Wahed failed to connect to a dangerous cross from Tapu in the 17th minute.
Hong Kong almost found the target on a quick counter attack as Lam Hok Hei's header went perilously close to the goal-line, where midfielder Sohel Rana rushed in to scramble clear the danger.
Bangladesh went all out for the lead in the second half and had at one stage pegged all the Hong Kong players back in their own half. A glorious opportunity came knocking for Jamal in the 47th minute but the Denmark-based midfielder failed to tap in a deflected cross from Tapu.
Hong Kong grew in stature and forged a quick counter attack from the left wing in the 51st minute where Lam Hok Hei's effort was parried off away for a corner by Bangladesh goalkeeper Rasel Mahmud Liton. The resulting corner was headed in by Hong Kong's Nigerian-neutralised striker Christian Kwesi Annan, who was left unmarked in the danger zone.
Trailing by a goal, Bangladesh pressed hard for the equaliser, but Jamal and Hemanta Vincent Bishwas incredibly failed to find the target from point blank range.
Liton did his best to foil another effort from Annan while Wahed, at the other end, failed to connect to a cross from Zahid in the 67th minute.
The missed chances made Bangladesh pay dearly as Hong Kong doubled their lead from another counter attack in the 73rd minute. The initial effort was parried away for a comer by Liton, who however could not stop the resulting header from Hok Hei Lam.
Aminur Rahman Sajib came off the bench to replace the misfiring Wahed and reduced the arrears four minutes later with a tap-in after a 35-yard stunner by Zahid was parried to his path by Hong Kong goalkeeper Hung Fai Yapp.
With Bangladesh pressing for the equaliser, Hong Kong produced two counter attacks but Liton stood firm under the bar, only to keep the margin of defeat to a minimum.