Bangladesh Olympic football team hold Afghanistan to goalless draw

Bangladesh Olympic football team played out a second successive goalless draw, holding Afghanistan's senior national team 0-0 in their second match of the Diamond Jubilee International Tournament in the Maldives on Thursday night.

After beginning their campaign with a stalemate against Pakistan, the men in red and green earned another point to move to third place in the four-team standings with two points from as many matches.

Pakistan climbed to the top of the table with four points following a 3-0 victory over hosts Maldives earlier in the day. Afghanistan also have four points but sit behind Pakistan on goal difference.

Bangladesh will take on Maldives in their final group match on Sunday, while Pakistan and Afghanistan face off on the same day. 

The top two teams on the points table will play in the final on Wednesday.

Afghanistan threatened first in the 15th minute when veteran forward Omid Popalzay unleashed a long-range effort that skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Bangladesh gradually settled into the contest and created a promising opportunity in the 26th minute, but Rabbi Hossain Rahul fired over the bar with a left-footed strike from inside the penalty area.

Rahul remained Bangladesh's main attacking outlet and came close again nine minutes later, only to see his shot blocked by an Afghan defender in front of goal.

Afghanistan nearly broke the deadlock shortly before the interval when Amid Arezou met a cross with a powerful header, but Bangladesh defender Ismail Hossain produced a crucial block on the goal line to keep the scores level.

The best chance of the second half fell to Bangladesh in the 55th minute. Rahul struck a fierce effort from the edge of the box, but the shot crashed against the post with the Afghan goalkeeper beaten.

As both sides searched for a winner, chances remained scarce. Afghanistan's final opportunity arrived five minutes from time when Mosawer Ahadi headed over the crossbar from close range.

Neither side could find a breakthrough, leaving Bangladesh still searching for their first victory of the tournament but firmly in contention heading into the final round of matches.