Quest for completion

Bangladesh girls are set to step onto Bhutan's Thimphu's Changlimithang Stadium today with one mission: to claim the only regional trophy missing from their glittering cabinet.

The booters, led by stand-in coach Mahbubur Rahman Litu, begin their SAFF U-17 Women's Championship campaign against the hosts. The match kicks off at 6:00pm (Bangladesh time), following the tournament opener between India and Nepal, and will be streamed live on the Sportzworkz YouTube Channel.

Under the new format, all four teams will face each other twice in a double round-robin league, with each side playing six matches. The team topping the table after the final matchday on August 31 will be crowned champions.

Since its introduction in 2017 with FIFA's financial backing, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has staged six categories of women's age-group tournaments -- ranging from U-15 to U-20 -- as preparation platforms for AFC competitions. Bangladesh have won every edition except the U-17s, last held in 2023 in Dhaka, where invitees Russia edged them to the title.

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Women's football in Bangladesh has enjoyed a breakthrough year. The senior side reached the Women's Asian Cup for the first time, while the U-20s also progressed to the AFC U-20 Asian Cup finals after lifting the SAFF U-20 Championship in Dhaka.

The squad -- with nine fresh faces blending with several players who clinched last year's SAFF U-16 title -- arrived in Thimphu four days early to adjust to the high altitude. The only major change is on the touchline, with local coach Litu continuing the commendable work of Englishman Peter Butler -- who had overseen their development alongside the senior and U-20 teams and is currently enjoying a rare vacation back home.

"We are ready after a month and a half of preparation and… this championship is a chance to learn and grow," coach Litu told the media yesterday.

Joakim Alexandersson, head coach of title aspirants India, reckons that Bangladesh will be their toughest opponents. "From what I know, Bangladesh will be a big challenge, Nepal also strong, and Bhutan perhaps struggled more."

HIGHLIGHTS

**Opening match: Bangladesh vs Bhutan, 6:00pm (Bangladesh time), Thimphu.

**Bangladesh's record: Champions in every SAFF women's age-group except U-17s.

**Coaching change: Mahbubur Rahman Litu leads the charges, filling in for Peter Butler.

**Squad mix: Nine newcomers plus players from last year's SAFF U-16 title-winning side.