Bangladesh marked their first-ever football match in Europe with a memorable 2-1 victory over hosts San Marino, thanks to a brace from defender Topu Barman.

New head coach Thomas Dooley opted for a 4-3-3 formation against the European minnows. Captain Jamal Bhuyan played a key role in midfield alongside Hamza Choudhury and Sohel Rana, helping Bangladesh control large spells of the game.

Despite playing away from home, Bangladesh started brightly and looked the more threatening side. After Jamal's effort was blocked in the 17th minute, the breakthrough arrived two minutes later. A pinpoint cross from Sheikh Morsalin found Topu Barman, who headed home to give Bangladesh a historic lead on European soil.

However, the visitors' advantage lasted only 12 minutes. San Marino striker Nicola Giacopetti equalized in the 31st minute after finishing a swift counterattack, converting a defense-splitting pass from Filippo Berardi beyond Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma.

Bangladesh pushed forward in search of another goal before halftime and came close in the 37th minute, but Saad Uddin's effort narrowly missed the target. The two sides went into the break level at 1-1.

The decisive moment came late in the second half. In the 86th minute, Hamza Choudhury's corner kick found Bishwanath Ghosh, whose shot toward goal was brilliantly redirected by Topu Barman with a powerful header. The effort beat the San Marino goalkeeper and secured a dramatic winner for Bangladesh.

The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for Bangladesh, giving Thomas Dooley a winning start to his tenure as national team coach. The result also marked a successful European debut for the Bengal Tigers and could be seen as the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Bangladesh football.