Bangladesh fall short in thrilling 3-4 defeat to Hong Kong in Asian Cup Qualifiers

Bangladesh suffered a heartbreaking 3-4 defeat to Hong Kong in an action-packed, seven-goal thriller in the third round of the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

The match, held at the National Stadium on Thursday, saw Bangladesh take an early lead, only for their dreams to be crushed after a tense second half in a rollercoaster contest.

In the 13th minute, Bangladesh were awarded a free-kick just outside the box.

Hamza Chowdhury stepped up and delivered an exquisite curling shot with his right foot, sending the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net, sending the home crowd into raptures.

The opening goal buoyed the Bangladesh supporters, who cheered ecstatically, thinking they were on the cusp of a historic victory.

However, the joy was short-lived. Hong Kong responded fiercely, and just before halftime, they equalised. Bangladesh's defence, which had been solid up until then, faltered.

Early in the second half, Hong Kong took the lead, and the momentum shifted dramatically in their favour.

Despite the setback, Bangladesh continued to push forward, but their efforts were thwarted by Hong Kong's clinical finishing.

As the match entered its final stages, Bangladesh's hopes were rekindled briefly, but it was not enough. The game ended in a dramatic 4-3 loss for Bangladesh, leaving their Asian Cup dream in tatters once again.