SA Games: Booters lose 3-0 to India

Bangladesh failed to advance to the final match of the 12th South Asian Games Men's Football tournament when India inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Sohel Rana and co at the Indira Gandhi Stadium today.

The third-place decider will be held at the same venue on February 15, Monday at 2:00pm local time. Bangladesh will have either Nepal or Maldives as their challenger for the bronze medal in men’s football.

Bangladesh coach Gonzalo Sanchez Moreno was expelled from the ground for yelling at the referee in the 62nd minute. Moreno could not hold back his emotions, as he felt Bangladesh were hard done by referee Laba Khatri of Nepal, whose lack of partiality was too obvious to ignore.

Midfielder Kumam Udanta Singh shot India into the lead with a clinical finish from close range in the 21st minute after Bangladesh defenders failed to clear the ball in a goalmouth melee.

India Striker Mawihmingthanga doubled the lead in the 41st minute. His shot from about 30 yards found the back of the net to the delight of the partisan home crowd.

Jayesh Dilip Rane’s accurate shot from the left made it 3-0 for the hosts, and sealed Bangladesh’s fate in the 64th minute.

Yellow card: Jamal Bhuiyan (Bangladesh).

India: TP Rehenesh, Bikramji Singh, Narayan Das (Samad Ali Mollick),Sandesh Jhingan, Pritam Kotal, Rowlin Borges, Jayesh Dilip Rane, Kumam Udanata Singh, Germanpreet Singh, Halicharan Narzary and Mawihmingthanga.

Bangladesh: Rasel Mahmud, Rayhan Hasan, Topu Barman, Rezaul Karim, Yeasin Khan, Jamal Bhuiyan, Masuk Miah Zoni, Sohel Rana (Aminur Rahman Sojib), Atiqur Rahman Farhad (Jewel Rana), Shahedul Alam Shahed (Rubel MIah) and Nabib Newah Zibon.