Bangladesh target positive start
Bangladesh are determined to make a good start with a positive result against hosts Thailand in the AFC Under-16 Women’s Championship, which will be held in Chonburi from September 15 to 28.
The women in red and green were pitted in Group A alongside the hosts, with Japan and Australia being the other two teams. Group B features North Korea, South Korea, China and Vietnam. Two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals while the champions and runners-up teams will join hosts India in the 2020 Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Bangladesh team management think that a win against Thailand may leave them with a chance of progressing to the last four and hence all their focus will be on the first match.
“The first match is very important for us. If we win this match, anything can happen,” coach Golam Rabbani Choton told reporters at a press conference at the Bangladesh Football Federation house yesterday.
Although neither the coach nor the captain was bold enough to say they could win against Japan or Australia, they feel that the experience gathered over the last two years would help the team do better than the previous edition.
Bangladesh had qualified for the event in 2017 after emerging as champions of the first qualifying round in Dhaka. Even though they lost all three matches of the final round, they improved gradually following a 9-0 defeat against eventual champions North Korea. The women in red and green lost 3-0 against Japan before giving Australia a run for their money in an eventual 3-2 defeat.
This time though, the team management thinks the experience of playing against these teams and those in the South Asian region will help them do well.
“It’s already a big achievement that we have been able to consecutively make it among the top eight out of the 47 teams in Asia. However, last time there was a gap in experience as we went from the first qualifying round right into the final round. But since we had to win two qualifying rounds this time, the gap in quality will be less. Furthermore, the experience of playing against these opponents before will help us,” Choton said.
The 23-member squad features 11 players who were part of the squad two years ago, with this team’s captain Maria Manda and vice-captain Akhi Khatun both part of the squad from two years ago. Maria, a key midfielder of the team, believes the first match will be key. “We have worked hard since qualifying for this. The match against Thailand is very important for us and we have had some good practice matches against our senior players.”
The team will fly tomorrow for Thailand where they will play three practice matches against local sides on September 6, 9 and 11.
Squad: Maria (C), Akhi (VC), Mahmuda, Rupna, Yeasmin, Nazma, Anai, Nila, Rituporna, Monica, Munni, Laboni, Sohagi, Sultana, Anuching, Nousun, Rehana, Shaheda, Shamsunnahar Sr, Shamsunnahar Jr, Tohura, Rojina, Sajeda.
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