Ibrahim saves Bangladesh from Bhutan stalemate

Mohammad Ibrahim came off the bench to rescue Bangladesh from a frustrating evening, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over Bhutan in their SAFF Championship opener at the National Stadium in Dhaka Today.

After dominating for long spells and repeatedly knocking on the door, Bangladesh finally found a way through in the 70th minute, when Ibrahim pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area to break Bhutan's stubborn resistance and hand the hosts all three points.

It was far from a convincing attacking display from Thomas Dooley's side, who enjoyed the greater share of possession but struggled to turn their dominance into goals against a disciplined Bhutan defence.

Dooley sprang a surprise with his starting XI, deploying right-back Bishwanath Ghosh as a makeshift centre-forward in an unusual tactical move. The experiment brought some attacking opportunities, but Bishwanath lacked the finishing touch as Bangladesh repeatedly failed to capitalise on promising situations.

The hosts began aggressively, with Foysal Ahmed Fahim testing goalkeeper Gyeltshen Zangpo with a powerful effort from outside the box in the eighth minute. After a defender blocked his first attempt, the Bhutan custodian dived to keep out the follow-up.

Shamit Shome came close four minutes later with a header that slipped through Zangpo's gloves, but the goalkeeper recovered just in time to collect the ball ahead of Bishwanath, whose subsequent header sailed wide.

Shome threatened again in the 25th minute, forcing Zangpo to turn his effort behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Bishwanath volleyed from inside a crowded penalty area but sent his effort wide of the far post.

The makeshift striker had another opportunity in the 38th minute, only to fire off target, while Zangpo also held Rakib Hossain's delivery at the second attempt as Bhutan survived another spell of pressure.

Bangladesh continued to rely heavily on crosses after the break, with Fahamedul Islam replacing Fahim at the restart. However, their predictable approach allowed Bhutan to remain organised and gradually find their way into the contest.

The game became increasingly scrappy after the hour mark, with misplaced passes and frequent stoppages disrupting the flow. Bhutan captain Chencho attempted to exploit the growing uncertainty in the Bangladesh defence, but the visitors lacked the cutting edge to seriously trouble the hosts.

Dooley responded with changes, introducing Sohel Rana and Ibrahim for captain Jamal Bhuyan and Bishwanath. The latter substitution proved decisive.

Bangladesh finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute when a delivery into the Bhutan box caused confusion among the defenders. As the ball bounced loose amid a scramble, Ibrahim reacted quickest to stab it home, sparking celebrations among the home supporters.

The goal was hardly a product of intricate attacking football, but it was a reward for Bangladesh's persistence after nearly 70 minutes of frustration.

With the breakthrough secured, Bangladesh sought to protect their advantage rather than risk allowing Bhutan back into the game. Further substitutions followed as both sides struggled with fatigue and injuries.

Bhutan pushed forward in the closing stages but found little room to create a clear opportunity. Fahamedul was booked for a tactical foul as Bangladesh attempted to disrupt the visitors' late momentum.

Five minutes of added time gave Bhutan one final window to salvage a point, but Bangladesh held their ground to secure a winning start to their campaign.