AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers: Brave Bangladesh hold host Tajikistan

Bangladesh denied host Tajikistan with a solid performance as they held firm to snatch a point in a 0-0 draw in the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers 2018 in Hisor Tuesday. With favourite Uzbekistan the fifth team in the group, the points lost could prove crucial for Tajikistan's bid to qualify for the finals in Indonesia next year. For Bangladesh, holding the host will be a confidence booster ahead of their remaining three matches.The Bangladesh-Tajikistan result meant there were no winners on matchday one in Group B as Maldives and Sri Lanka had earlier settled for a 2-2 draw in their opening tie. The UAE, meanwhile, joined Kyrgyzstan in setting the early pace in Group A with a 5-1 win over Oman. Group A host Kyrgyzstan beat Nepal 2-0.

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Also read: Fahim to spearhead Bangladesh in Tajikistan

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In Group F, Malaysia and Indonesia got their campaigns off to roaring starts, beating Timor Leste 3-1 and Brunei 5-0 respectively. The teams are vying for the 14 berths still up for grabs in the tournament. China, who won Group G in Phnom Penh last week, have already sealed qualification.The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams advance to the finals alongside host Indonesia. The Bangladesh youngsters will take on Maldives, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka Thursday, Monday and Wednesday respectively.RESULTSKyrgyzstan 2 0 NepalOman 1 5 UAEMaldives 2 2 Sri LankaBangladesh 0 0 TajikistanTimor-Leste 1 3 MalaysiaIndonesia 5 0 Brunei THURSDAY'S MATCHESKyrgyzstan v OmanNepal v BahrainSri Lanka v UzbekistanMaldives v BangladeshIndonesia v Timor LesteBrunei v South Korea