Bangladesh U-17 stunned by 10-man Cambodia

Bangladesh suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to 10-man Cambodia in their opening match of AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Phnom Penh on Saturday.

Cambodia were reduced to 10 men in the 25th minute after a dangerous tackle on Bangladesh forward Arham Islam. However, despite the numerical advantage, Bangladesh, led by coach Saiful Bari Titu, failed to capitalize on their chances, with a late counter-attack in the 85th minute securing the win for the hosts.

Fresh off a runner-up finish in the SAFF U-17 Championship, Bangladesh had numerous opportunities to score but lacked cohesion and creativity. Their attacking efforts, including several corner kicks, were consistently shut down by the Cambodian defense.

Bangladesh's next match will be against the Philippines on October 23, who started their campaign with a dominant 7-0 win over Macau. Afghanistan also features in the group, making the path ahead tougher for Bangladesh.