Bangladesh survive scare to qualify for Asian Games

Surviving an elimination scare, Bangladesh national hockey team secured a berth in the upcoming 2026 Asian Games with a nerve-wracking 3-2 penalty shootout win, following a 4-4 draw in regulation time against Hong Kong in the Men’s Asian Games Qualifiers in Thailand today.

Goalkeeper Biplob Kujur saved two crucial shots after Bangladesh forwards Rakibul Hasan and Abed Uddin were denied, before captain Fazle Rabbi converted the fifth shot to ensure the much-needed victory in their fifth-to-eighth place classification match.

The win over Hong Kong sent Bangladesh into the fifth-to-sixth place decider against Chinese Taipei and confirmed their qualification for the upcoming Asian Games, with the top six teams from the nine-team qualifiers advancing to September’s multi-sport event in Japan.

Bangladesh have never missed the Asian Games, with the men in red and green finishing either champions or runners-up in the last three editions of the Men’s Asian Games Qualifiers.

However, the 2014 champions, who finished runners-up to Oman in 2018 and 2022, failed to reach the semifinals this time after being held to a 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan in their third and final pool match.