Demonstrating remarkable determination, Palestine secured a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday at Dhaka’s Bashundhara Kings Arena during a qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, maintaining their hopes alive.
The World Cup qualifier in Dhaka concluded dramatically, marking the ninth encounter between Palestine and Bangladesh. Despite their vast difference in FIFA World Rankings, with Palestine at 97th and Bangladesh at 183rd, Palestine continued their winning streak from the previous 5-0 victory. Michel Termanini’s crucial goal with an assist from Islam Batran in the 94th minute sealed their triumph once again.
Bangladesh, holding Palestine goalless until the fourth minute of injury time, ultimately conceded the decisive goal, suffering a home defeat in the joint qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
Despite Bangladesh’s close performance, their coach failed to capitalize on the opportunity, and captain Jamal Bhuyan, who recently transitioned to a 60-minute player, couldn’t ignite the team’s performance.
Palestine’s late victory propelled them closer to the next qualifying stage, securing the second spot in Group I with seven points. This places them behind Australia, with a significant lead over Lebanon and Bangladesh. The top two teams will advance to the next stage, competing for Asia’s expanded automatic allocation of eight World Cup spots and automatic qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
Meanwhile, Australia solidified their advancement with a victory over Lebanon in Canberra, maintaining a perfect record with four wins from four matches.
Despite being down to 10 men in the closing minutes, Palestine secured the win thanks to Michel Termanini’s composed finish, likely exceeding expectations and securing a crucial three points.
