Dhaka: Bangladesh U-21 hockey team returned home today (Thursday) evening with head high after participating in the just concluded FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The team has garnered significant attention and praise following their performance in the tournament, culminating in their triumphant win of the challenger trophy.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the spirited Bangladesh hockey team clinched the challenger trophy by defeating Austria with a close 5-4 victory in the place-deciding match for 17th and 18th positions, held on Monday. The victory was largely fueled by a hat-trick from the tournament’s top scorer, Amirul Islam, along with crucial goals from Hozifa Hossain and Rakibul Hasan.
In the group phase, Bangladesh displayed determination and skill, starting with a challenging 5-3 defeat against a strong Australian side, a match highlighted by Aminul Islam’s remarkable hat-trick. The team’s resilience was further demonstrated as they came from behind to draw 3-3 against South Korea in their second group match.
The team continued to show their prowess with a brave performance in their final group match, narrowly losing 3-2 to the reigning runners-up, France. Following the group phase, Bangladesh commenced the 17-24th place decider phase with a commanding 13-0 victory over Oman, marking their first-ever Junior World Cup win. They further impressed with a 5-3 triumph over South Korea, solidifying their commendable position in the tournament.