Rakibul, Amirul run riot as Bangladesh seal maiden victory

Amirul Islam and Rakibul Hasan led Bangladesh U-21 to a record-breaking 13-0 victory over Oman in the place-deciding match of the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup today, cementing their dominance and marking the team's biggest win in the tournament.

Amirul was unstoppable, slamming five goals, including his third hat-trick of the tournament. With this performance, he surpassed Spanish top-scorer Bruno Avila's tally of eight goals, raising his personal count to 12 goals in four matches. 

Meanwhile, Rakibul's clinical finishing added three goals from open play, showcasing the lethal partnership that powered Bangladesh's attacking play.

The resounding win not only gave Bangladesh their maiden triumph in the ongoing tournament but also confirmed their final ranking between 17th and 20th among 24 nations. 

Bangladesh will now face the winner of the South Korea vs. Egypt match on December 6 to decide their final standing.

The men in red and green came into the match brimming with confidence after valiant displays against former champions Australia and reigning runners-up France, as well as a credible draw against South Korea. 

Against Oman, Bangladesh controlled the game from the outset, leaving their opponents with no chance in a one-sided affair reminiscent of their 7-0 win over Oman during the 2014 AHF Junior Asia Cup. 

This victory also extended Bangladesh U-21's unbeaten record against Oman in seven consecutive matches since 2014.

Amirul set the tone early by converting three successive penalty corners in the 11th, 15th, and 15th minutes, before Rakibul widened the margin with two goals from open play in the 19th and 25th minutes. After the break, Rakibul completed his hat-trick, while Amirul added two more goals to his tally.

Other contributors included Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Saju, who scored two goals each, and Obaidul Joy, who found the net once, rounding off Bangladesh's spectacular goal-fest.