'People cannot blame any of us': Hamza refuses to point fingers after semifinal heartbreak

Bangladesh captain Hamza Choudhury refused to single out any teammate after the 1-0 defeat to Pakistan in the SAFF Championship semi-final at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday. A late goalkeeping error decided the match and ended the hosts’ hopes of a first title since 2003.

Hamza sat on the pitch and covered his face after the final whistle. He later went to console teammates who stood motionless, and he faced reporters in the mixed zone with disbelief still showing. His first words were about the scale of the hurt.

“Very, very, very heartbreaking. It is a huge heartbreak, not just for us, obviously for the fans and the nation. But it is the mercy of Allah, what else can I say.”

Bangladesh dominated possession and created the better chances, yet paid for them in the closing stages. Pakistan’s Abdul Samad Shahzad scored in the 86th minute after goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon’s mistake while taking a goal-kick. It was the only real opening Pakistan had.

Criticism has since fallen on the goalkeeper. Coach Thomas Dooley backed him at the post-match press conference, and Hamza struck the same note when the subject was raised.

“People cannot blame any of us. We all played 11 versus 11, so no one can blame any individual.”

Asked whether Pakistan had played conservatively before the break, Hamza rejected the idea and said the visitors had simply altered their approach at half-time.

“No, no, no, I don’t think so. I think they changed their game plan during half-time.”

His account matched the story of the night. Rakib Hossain had a golden chance in the 23rd minute after Shamit Shome’s header, but Yousuf Butt saved his left-footed shot. Shuki Itofusa then sent a shot over the bar in the 42nd minute.

Pakistan had planned to keep Hamza tightly marked, and coach Nolberto Solano admitted afterwards that denying him freedom with the ball was the main idea. Bangladesh also missed Saad Uddin, who was ruled out with an Achilles tendon injury. Rahmat Mia played in his place.

Hamza accepted the cruelty of the result in his closing words.

“Still, they only created one chance and couldn’t create anything else. And that’s football, isn’t it? They took that one chance and scored a goal, so what else.”

Pakistan reached the SAFF final for the first time in their history. Bangladesh, who last won the title in 2003, have now waited 23 years, and their wait to play in a final, which dates back to 2005, grew longer.