Sports Desk: The fight for excellence in South Asian women's football is the final of the Women's Football Championship today. In 2022, the girls became the outright women's champions for the first time, defeating Nepal 3-1. This time again in the same country with the same opponent in front of the red-green representatives, the mission to retain the title.
Bangladesh girls will face Nepal at 6:45 pm Bangladesh time in the title deciding match at the Dasarath Stadium in Kathmandu on Wednesday (October 30).
India has been the champion five times in the last six editions of this tournament that started in 2010. Only last season's champion Bangladesh. So, if they win the title again this time, the women of Bangladesh will also get the taste of winning the second title in a row after India.
Bangladesh has qualified for the final for the third time. On the other hand, like the last season, in this season also in another semi-final, Nepal defeated the most successful team of the tournament, India, and reached the final. Nepal is playing in the final for a record sixth time. But they could not win the title even once. So Nepal will want to break the title drought by defeating Bangladesh.
Bangladesh coach Peter Butler and captain Sabina Khatun congratulate Nepal before the title deciding match. Both voices are determined to win the title. In the words of Sabina Khatun, 'everything has some pros and cons. Most of our team members are young. Opposing teams will play with huge crowd support. But you can be sure, we will present the best game on the field.'
Meanwhile, on Tuesday (October 29), Sanjida Akhtar shared a post on her verified Facebook account reminiscing about the celebration at the Sadkhola bus. Sanjeeda wrote in the post, "Seeing this scene of celebrating in an open-top bus in 2022 was a great feeling for us as it was the first time for the countrymen. We were moved by the sight of the football-loving people of the country standing around the streets in hot weather as the overnight arrangements were made to honor our sentiments.
'What was the first attempt to achieve, this time is the mission to retain. Increased responsibility. That's the job of the defending champions. We are going to play in front of the host opponent, that opponent's field, and in front of that opponent's familiar crowd. Of course it is a challenge for us. But we are always confident and committed to the country.
He also wrote, it is important that we do well to send reform and new awakening activities in the country. We want to win it to celebrate the mission of retaining the trophy and the countrymen once again. And we will show that inshallah. Pray for us.
Although Nepal is ahead in the head-to-head statistics and FIFA rankings, the Tigers of Bengal are ahead in terms of winning the SAFF Championship title. In the 12 times the red-green forces have won only one match overall, Nepal has won 6 matches. But that one victory was the best and most memorable victory in the history of women's football in Bangladesh. That was the last in the 2022 Saf final.
The red-green army beat Nepal 3-1 thanks to Shamsunnahar Jr.'s double goal and Krishna Rani Sarkar's one goal in this Kathmandu Dasharth of service. This time also the eyes of the army for the second title in a row.
