SPORTS REPORTER

Bangladesh’s talisman Hamza Choudhury struck a tone of cautious optimism after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Singapore, framing the end of their AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign as a necessary “hard lesson” for a side he believes have progressed by “leaps and bounds” over the past year.

“It’s a big step forward,” Hamza told reporters at Changi Airport. “To come to Singapore, who have already qualified, and play the kind of football we did is something we should be proud of. It puts us in good stead for the next campaign.”

He acknowledged the immediate sting felt within the squad and by head coach Javier Cabrera, but insisted that a closer look at the performances would reflect a team beginning to establish themselves on the continental stage.

“Of course, we wanted to qualify, but with these hard lessons everyone becomes stronger. There’s disappointment, but when we look back at the games, we’ll see how much better we’ve become as a team.”

Reflecting on his first year in international football, the 28-year-old described his experience with Bangladesh as deeply fulfilling. “It’s amazing -- honestly, the best thing I’ve done,” he said.

The Leicester City midfielder also reserved special praise for Bangladesh’s travelling support, who turned out in significant numbers at the National Stadium in Kallang and, at times, drowned out the home crowd.

“I think they’re the best fans in the world. For them to travel and spend their hard-earned money to support us like that -- even when we haven’t qualified -- is second to none. We’re so grateful.”

Looking ahead, Hamza pointed to a run of summer friendlies before the next competitive window in September, with expectations within the camp now shifting.

“We expect to win now. Within the country and within ourselves, we’ve put that expectation on us after some of our displays.”