'Goal against India ranks above the others'

Sheikh Morsalin once again made the headlines with the goal that helped Bangladesh edge past India 1-0 after 22 years. The 19-year-old forward, who has now scored seven goals in 21 international appearances, previously rescued the men in red and green by netting equalisers against Afghanistan and Lebanon, and struck the decisive goal in the 1-0 win over Bhutan. Yesterday, Morsalin spoke to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about the mood in the camp, his feelings, and his future ambitions. Following are excerpts from the conversation.

The Daily Star (DS): What is your feeling after scoring the decisive goal against India?

Sheikh Morsalin (SM): I am really very happy, Alhamdulillah. I think everyone prayed for us, and we are happy to deliver a win to the nation.

DS: In the counterattack, you and Rakib Hossain exchanged passes before you finished clinically. What understanding did you and Rakib have before the match?

SM: I have a good understanding with Rakib because we have played many matches together for both the national team and our club. The plan was simple: launch a quick counter and play the ball to whoever was in front of goal.

DS: You have scored quite a few important goals in your short career so far. Where do you rank the goal on Tuesday?

SM: I would definitely rank the goal against India above all the others because beating India after 22 years, in front of a full house, when the entire country was watching, is a huge achievement. Everyone would have been hurt if we hadn't won. That's why I rate it above all my goals.

DS: What did the players discuss among themselves before the match?

SM: The only discussion was that we had to win the match at any cost. We also shared our feelings. I told the players to stand by one another, even if someone made a mistake during the match. The message was to help each other on the pitch.

DS: Bangladesh came close to victory in several matches of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, but couldn't finally came in the fifth match. How was it achieved?

SM: To be honest, we were ahead in previous matches too, but in the final moments we conceded goals due to a loss of concentration, which was our failure. This time, we all tried to stay focused from the first minute to the last.

DS: Everyone gave their best, but how would you assess Hamza Choudhury's performance against India?

SM: He is a true leader who guides us in both attack and defence. Hamza bhai's impact on the team is immense.

DS: Can Bangladesh build a winning habit after this historic victory?

SM: Hopefully we can. We are improving day by day and hope to improve even more in the days to come.