Booters off to winning start

Hosts Bangladesh got off to a winning start in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup with a nervy 4-2 win over Sri Lanka in the opening match at the Shamsul Huda Stadium in Jessore yesterday.

Striker Shakhawat Hossain Rony struck a brace while Nabib Newaj Jibon and Zahid Hossain netted one goal apiece to give Bangladesh the victory against the Sri Lankan youth side who, however, gave a run for the money to the hosts by making it 3-2 at one stage.

The charges of Maruful Haque dominated the game from the outset before going for the break with a comfortable 3-1 lead in front of some 8,000 spectators, however, they surprisingly started showing some nerves in the second half before Rony took the match away from the opposition with his second and the team's fourth goal, thanks to a misunderstanding between Sri Lanka goalkeeper Ruwan Arunasiri and defender Hettiarachchi in the dying moments.

Having shrugged off their poor performance in the SAFF Suzuki Cup last month, last edition's runners-up Bangladesh showed signs of returning to their natural performance as midfielders Mamunul Islam and Jamal Bhuiyan controlled the game in the first half, with Mamunul initiating the first three goals with his traditional long-ball passing.

A darting move from winger Zahid Hossain in the third minute indicated that the day would belong to the home side as the winger, availing a long ball from Mamunul, darted into the box and put a nice cross for Rony before the Sri Lankan defenders came to the rescue.

With nice exchanges between the midfielders and defenders, chances came one after another before Zahid again, receiving a long ball from Mamunul, advanced into the box to feed in-form Rony, who did not mistake to poke the ball home to give Bangladesh a deserved lead in the 17th minute.

But the lead lasted only three minutes as Danushka Wijesiri converted a spot-kick in the 20th minute after Nasiruddin Chowdhury had unnecessarily tacked Madushan De Silve from behind inside the box.

Bangladesh, however, regained the lead made in the 22th minute when Mamunul curled in a flag-kick to the far post where Zahid drove in after Yeasin Khan's header fell onto his feet.

Jibon made it 3-1 with a nice low volley after a Zahid free-kick fell onto his foot with a deflection two minutes before the break.

But Bangladesh went surprisingly on the back foot and conceded the second goal six minutes into the second half, thanks to a fumble by Jamal, with Sanjeeewa Kumara placing the ball inside the far post.

Maruful soon sent on midfielder Monaem Khan Raju in place of Jibon to make the midfield compact and the decision saw Bangladesh starting to regain possession before Rony, who also struck a brace in the last international match against Bhutan, fired from close after the Sri Lanka goalkeeper and defender fumbled to meet a long ball from Bangladesh goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel in the 86th minute.