Bangladesh bowed out of the AFC U17 Asian Cup after a 4-0 defeat to hosts China in their final qualifying fixture on Sunday, but the boys can return home proud after finishing second in the group, winning their other four matches and scoring a total of 20 goals.
China, one of the strongest sides among the 38 teams in the qualifiers, were clear favourites to top Group A, but Bangladesh kept them waiting until the last match to secure it.
Shuai Weihao’s hat-trick inside the first hour effectively settled the contest at the Tonglianglong Stadium in Chongqing, before Zhao Songyuan added a late fourth. The dominant home side enjoyed roaring support from the stands.
As group champions, China qualified for the final tournament, while Bangladesh finished second.
Golam Rabbani Choton’s side can take many positives from the campaign. Among all South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) nations, the boys in red and green stand tall with India and Pakistan.
Placed in a six-team group, Bangladesh recorded the highest number of wins (four) among SAFF countries. All six other SAFF teams dropped more points in groups featuring six or fewer teams.
Nepal and Maldives lost all four of their matches. Bhutan suffered three defeats and managed one draw. Pakistan won three but lost two. Sri Lanka lost four and won only once. India registered two wins, one draw, and one defeat to qualify for the finals by head-to-head record.
Bangladesh also outperformed regional rivals in goal difference. They scored 20 goals in five matches, while as host, India netted six in four matches of a tough group. Both teams conceded five goals each.
Bangladesh began their campaign with a 5-0 win over Timor-Leste, followed by victories against Brunei Darussalam (8-0), Sri Lanka (5-0), and Bahrain (2-1) to stay in contention for qualification. However, hosts China—who scored a tournament-high 40 goals across all groups—proved too strong.
“It was difficult playing five matches in nine days,” said Bangladesh head coach Choton. “We played against a strong team like China after many years. The boys tried their best, but China are ahead of us in every aspect – technically, tactically, and psychologically.”
With a 100 percent winning record and no goals conceded, China emerged as the standout group winner among all seven groups.
