Dhaka: Bangladesh U-17 national football team made a commanding start in the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers by defeating Timor-Leste 5-0 in the opening Group A match at Tongliang Long Stadium, Chongqing, China.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bangladesh took an early lead in the 11th minute when Rifat Kazi scored with a header from a cross by Manik on the left flank. Manik then doubled the advantage for Bangladesh in the 28th minute with a left-footed shot following a free kick from Faysal. Just before halftime, Manik further extended the lead by scoring his second and the team's third goal from a goal-mouth melee in the 43rd minute.
In the second half, Bangladesh continued their offensive momentum, adding two more goals. Bayzit Bostami confidently finished a well-timed pass from Azad to make it 4-0, and Akash Ahmed completed the tally with a long-range shot in the 88th minute.
Bangladesh created several scoring opportunities throughout the match, with many attempts narrowly missing, including some that hit the goalpost. The team, placed in Group A alongside host China, Bahrain, Brunei, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste, will face Brunei on November 24, Sri Lanka on November 26, Bahrain on November 28, and host China on November 30 in their upcoming matches.
The seven group champions will secure their spots in the 16-team finals, joining hosts Saudi Arabia and eight other nations already qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Over the last nineteen years, Bangladesh has achieved group runners-up positions in 2017 and 2022 but fell short of advancing as one of the six best runners-up.