On June 10, 2025, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh were defeated 1–2 by Singapore in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match. Although Bangladesh began the game on the front foot, goalkeeper Mithun Marma’s error just before half-time allowed Song U-Yong to put Singapore ahead.
Thirteen minutes into the second half, Ikhsan Fandi capitalized on a quick counterattack, striking the ball past Bangladesh’s keeper to extend Singapore’s lead. Bangladesh responded in the 67th minute when Rakib Hossain unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box; the ball deflected off Singapore’s goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud and found the net.
Throughout the match, Bangladesh maintained strong possession but were hampered by mistakes in goal and occasional lapses in defensive organization, which disrupted their attacking rhythm. Coach Javier Cabrera urged his midfield to exploit the flanks with quick passes, but the team lacked the final cutting edge in passing and finishing.
On the other side, Singapore’s coach S. Ogura set up a resilient defense and effective counter-attacks. Song U-Yong’s intelligent off-the-ball movement and Ikhsan Fandi’s presence in the box proved decisive. Captain Izwan Mahbud marshaled the back line with composure, particularly in the closing stages, preventing Bangladesh from mounting a comeback.
With this result, all four teams in Group C share three points after the opening round. Bangladesh will next face Hong Kong on June 15, while Singapore prepare to take on India. Observers believe that unless Bangladesh address their goalkeeping errors and improve decision-making in critical moments, it will be difficult to secure positive results in forthcoming fixtures. Correcting these shortcomings will be key if they hope to advance from the group stage.