Bhutan staged an impressive comeback against Sri Lanka, earning a 2-2 draw that officially confirmed Bangladesh’s place in the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship 2026. The Group A encounter, played at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday, saw Bhutan recover from a two-goal deficit after a difficult first half.
Bhutan opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Dawa Tshering. However, their advantage lasted only a minute, as Sri Lanka equalised when Oliver Kelaart’s attempt took a deflection before finding the net. Sri Lanka continued their momentum, with Waseem Razeek scoring in the 43rd minute to give his side a 2-1 lead heading into the break.
The second half brought a determined response from Bhutan. They had a chance to narrow the gap in the 67th minute after being awarded a penalty, but captain Chencho Gyeltshen failed to convert. The Bhutan skipper eventually redeemed himself, scoring in the 76th minute to bring his team level.
Despite their strong first-half performance, Sri Lanka could not secure a winning goal.
The draw left both Bhutan and Sri Lanka with one point from two matches. Bangladesh, who had defeated Bhutan 1-0 in their opening fixture, secured qualification for the last four. They will face Sri Lanka on November 11, with a draw enough to send Sri Lanka into the semi-finals.