Bangladesh dedicate win to Sheuli's late mother

Captain Maria Manda and goal-scorer Ritu Porna Chakma dedicated Bangladesh’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nepal to the nation and the late mother of teammate Sheuli Azim after securing a place in a third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship final on Tuesday.

The women in red and green were emotionally shaken following the death of Sheuli’s mother on Tuesday morning. The team's final training session was cancelled as several senior players struggled to cope with the news, and the impact was evident on the pitch.

“Honestly, it was a very tough match but our ultimate target was to reach the final because it was a do-or-die fixture for us. We knew we had to grind out a result today. If not for anything else, then for our teammate Sheuli Azim whose mother died. We managed to do exactly what we wanted to do for our country and Sheuli,” said Ritu in the mixed zone after the match.

Ritu later said the team wanted to dedicate the victory to Sheuli’s mother.

Captain Maria echoed those sentiments, saying the players had carried their teammate’s pain with them throughout the match.

“We have been in pain following the demise of Sheuli’s mother, so our target was to deliver something for the nation as well as Sheuli. We are now dedicating this win to Sheuli’s mother,” said Maria.