UNB, Jessore :
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka played to a 1-1 draw in the first of their two-match SS Steel FIFA International Friendly series at Shams Ul Huda Stadium here on Friday.
With the day’s result, Bangladesh drew for the second time in 13 meetings against Sri Lanka while the host won eight matches and lost three.
In the day’s match, Bangladesh took lead in the 20th minute as forward Zahid Hasan Emily scored with a header from d-box area, off a cross from the left flank by Yameen Ahmed Chowdhury Munna. Sri Lankan goalie Sujan Perera tried to stop the ball, but it slipped off his gloves and entered the net.
With the goal, Emily scored his 17th international goal.
Visiting Sri Lanka leveled the margin in the 26th minute. The referee awarded a free kick when Bangladesh defence fouled a Sri Lankan forward just outside the d-box. Lankan vice captain Nalaka Roshan curved the free kick from the top of the box to find the net (1-1).
Sri Lankan goalie Sujan Perera saved his team from conceding the second goal as he managed to punch an Emily header to safety in the injury time of the first half.
The second half saw the two teams exchange a number of attacks and counter attacks but failed to score.
Bangladesh team captain Mamunul Islam Mamun seemed unhappy with the drawn result: He said: “We should have won the match. We created some scoring opportunities, but bad luck the finishing was not good.”
State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder formally inaugurated the match and was introduced with the players while Bangladesh Football Federation senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy was present as a special guest.
The second match between the two sides will take place at Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi from 3pm on Monday (October 27). Channel 9 will telecast the match live.
Meanwhile, this southwest district town stadium of Jessore hosted the first ever international match since its inception, amid a lot of enthusiasm among the local football lovers.
A festive atmosphere prevailed in the venue. The festivity certainly became inspirational for both sides and also irritating sometimes.
A three-tier security — Police, Rab and BGB — was in place to maintain tight security inside the ground apart from important points in the district town.
However, the crowd broke the security system entering into the restricted area of the playground.
The sell-out crowd exceeded the expected 12,000 and also the 20,000 capacity at Shams Ul Huda Stadium on Friday.
