Defensive woes cost Young Tigers Tier-E crown

Bangladesh’s impressive run at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan ended in disappointment on Friday as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to the Central African Republic in the Tier-E final, finishing runners-up in the section.

The Young Tigers, who had remained unbeaten before the final, were undone by a clinical African side that punished their defensive lapses to claim the title.

Mohi struck a hat-trick with goals in the 14th, 26th and 39th minutes, while Penel added another in the 16th to put the Central African Republic firmly in control. Sajid Mahmud Takib briefly revived Bangladesh’s hopes with a 23rd-minute goal, but the Young Tigers failed to build on their momentum.

Bangladesh U-15 head coach Akbor Hossain Ridon admitted his side were outplayed and pointed to costly mistakes at the back.

“They were the deserved winners and controlled the entire match,” Ridon said. “We failed to protect our lines and block their shots. We had a chance to come back, but a mistake by the goalkeeper and the team allowed them to score again.”

Despite the final setback, Bangladesh finished the tournament as Tier-E runners-up after an impressive campaign marked by resilience and attacking quality. They opened their Group G campaign with a goalless draw against Wales before beating Fiji 3-1, with Bayzid scoring twice and Fahim adding the other.

The Young Tigers then survived penalty shootouts against Seychelles and Singapore, winning 4-2 and 4-3 respectively after both matches ended 1-1. They followed those victories with a commanding 4-0 quarter-final triumph over Montenegro before edging Gabon 1-0 in the semi-final, thanks to Naimur Rahman Ratul’s 14th-minute winner.

Reflecting on the final, Ridon admitted that Bangladesh still had work to do to compete against stronger opposition, despite their impressive run to the Tier-E final.

“We have to learn from this defeat and work on our weaknesses. The boys showed they could compete, but we need to improve our defensive organisation and decision-making. This tournament has given us valuable experience, and we must build on it,” Ridon said.