Bangladesh finished their 2026 FIFA World Cup and Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign with a losing note when they suffered 4-0 defeat to Lebanon in their last Group I match held at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday last night.
With the defeat, Bangladesh ended their World Cup Qualifiers with only one point from six matches while Australia, who played the World Cup five times in a row, emerged champions of this group.
Bangladesh conceded two goals in the two halves of the match. Even they almost failed to create any pressure over war-torn Lebanon in the proceeding. In the home match in November last year, Bangladesh however managed to play a 1-1 draw against 120-ranked Lebanon, courtesy of Sheikh Morsalin goal, but this the Cabrera’s men were off-colored in the field though the local Bangladeshi expatriate supported the Jamal Bhuyan and Co. from the gallery throughout the match.
Lebanon’s star footballer Hassan Maatouk slammed a brilliant hat-trick with three goals while Nader Matar supported him with a lone goal to help Lebanon to sealed their victory in the one-sided affairs.
Lebanon took the lead early in the fifth minute. A bad foul from Shakil Hossain in the danger zone saw him get a warning in the form of a yellow card and Lebanon were awarded a penalty. Maatouk made no mistake to convert the spot kick with a right-footer shot.
Lebanon doubled the lead in the 45+2nd minute when Nader Matar’s right-footed placing shot from the center of the box found the net giving no chance to Bangladesh custodian Mitul Marma under the bar.
Back with a 2-0 lead, Lebanon continued their onslaught as Maatouk scored his second goal just four minutes after the resumption and finally completed his hat-trick goal in the 60th minute.
Conceding four goals within sixty minutes, the rest was merely a formality. During that time Bangladesh coach brought several changes in the team but it was not possible for Bangladesh to fight back in the match.
Rakib Hossain missed a golden opportunity in the match as his well-judged shot from the top of the box sailed harmlessly over the cross bar.
