Despite attending pre-match press conferences as captain, Jamal Bhuiyan had been left out of the starting line-up for Bangladesh’s opening two Asian Cup qualifiers. However, when finally brought on against Hong Kong, he immediately sought to influence the game, helping the team rally from 3-1 down to level the score at 3-3 in a dramatic turnaround.
Yet questions remain over why coach Javier Cabrera did not start him at all. Alongside Jamal, Shamit Shome and Fahamedul Islam were also benched at the beginning of the match, sparking criticism from fans and pundits alike.
Speaking at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport before flying to Hong Kong for the return leg, Jamal did not hide his disappointment. “When I don’t play, it is a mistake, I will say that,” he admitted. “I want to play every match, but in the end, it is the coach’s decision. I want to play.”
Jamal also revealed a conversation with his fellow substitutes during warm-up. “I told Shamit, Fahamedul and Zayan that when we come on, we have to change the course of the match. All four of us had a good impact. We all want to be in the starting XI. Overall, we played well.”
Ultimately, Bangladesh suffered a 4-3 defeat to Hong Kong, once again conceding in the final moments, a recurring issue that frustrates even the captain. “This team has a history of conceding late goals,” Jamal said. “Before the match we discussed staying focused throughout. I mentioned in the press conference too, if we want to win or take points, we need to stay concentrated for the full game. But we failed.”
Bangladesh now sit at the bottom of Group C with just one point from three matches. Qualification to the main tournament hinges on winning all three of their remaining games, including the crucial away fixture against Hong Kong on 14 October.
Jamal concluded with a reminder, “We have three matches left. We have to win all three. Dropping even one more point means we are out.”
