Bangladesh's hopes of emerging as group champions suffered a heavy setback as they surrendered a lead twice to suffer a 3-2 defeat to Afghanistan in their penultimate Group B match of the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the Prince Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia today.

The second defeat in four matches demoted Bangladesh to third position in the five-team table with six points, equal with hosts Cambodia who are in the second position by virtue of a better goal difference. Afghanistan lead the table with 12 points from four matches.

Trailing by three points, Bangladesh could have caught up with leaders Afghanistan with a win today. The charges of Saiful Bari Titu started on a good note by taking a lead in the sixth minute with a strike from Mithu Chowdhury before Yaser Safi cancelled it out in the 30th minute.

Bangladesh restored the lead in the stoppage time with a strike from Morshed Ali. But Bangladesh failed to maintain the momentum in the second half and conceded two more goals in the 64th and 70th minute from substitute Milad Noori and Arash Ahmedi respectively. Bangladesh could not hit back in the second half and left the ground with their second defeat in four matches.