Myanmar thrash Bangladesh 5-0 in opener

The Bangladesh women's football team began their campaign in the 2020 Women's Olympic Tournament Qualifiers Round-1 on the wrong foot as they suffered a massive 5-0 defeat to hosts Myanmar in a Group C encounter in Yangon yesterday.

The girls in red and green, playing the Olympic Qualifiers for first time in seven years since their debut appearance in 2011, were helpless against 44th-ranked Myanmar throughout the match in which the home side struck two goals in the first half before adding three more goals in the second half.

Bangladesh, comprising of players from the age-group teams of U-16 and U-18, however held their mighty opponents at bay till the 34th minute before Win Theingi Tun broke their resistance by tapping in a corner kick. The same player then doubled the lead, chipping the goalkeeper after snatching the ball from a Bangladeshi defender one minute before the break.

The match was virtually played inside Bangladesh's half and the charges of Golam Rabbani Choton had a few sporadic attacks but all of those were off target. The home side made it 3-0 in the 61st minute before Le Le HLaing and Yee Yee Woo struck the fourth and fifth goals in the 84th and 89th minutes respectively to complete the rout, which was expected.

Bangladesh will play their second match on Sunday against India, who played out a 1-1 draw against Nepal in the day's first match.