Dhaka, June 18 -- All the hype which had built up over a month, a surge in the sale of the national team's new white jersey and the inclusion of foreign-based players injected a wild passion in football -- a game that had been languishing for over a decade.

Sadly, the team, although played well in the second half and especially in the last twenty minutes, went down to higher-ranked Singapore 2-1.

For a stadium filled with spectators and millions who watched the game on television, this was heartbreaking.

No matter how much we try to console ourselves, the fact remains, that in current-day football, hardly any team ever loses on home soil.

Even on a day when the stars are against the home team, the result is usually a draw.

Despite pr...