Bangladesh eye strong start

One by one, Maria Manda, Afeida Khandokar, Monika Chakma, Ritu Porna Chakma and Tahura Khatun stepped off the team bus -- but none of the Bangladesh players wore a broad smile.

Instead, the faces of the women in red and green reflected determination as they trained for more than an hour at the Don Bosco Engineering Institute ground in Goa ahead of Thursday’s SAFF Women’s Championship opener against Maldives.

Bangladesh begin their title defence as favourites in the eighth edition of the regional tournament and are aiming for a third straight title to further establish their dominance in South Asian women’s football.

Interestingly, the match will be played at the same venue where the Bangladesh men’s team lost 2-0 to hosts India in the 1999 SAFF Championship final.

A victory over Maldives would not only give Bangladesh a winning start but also secure a place in the semifinals before their final Group B match against five-time champions India on May 31.

India had already begun their campaign with a huge 11-0 victory over Maldives, meaning Bangladesh will also be keen to keep pace in terms of goal difference. A draw against India in the final group match could still be enough to ensure top spot.

Despite the expectations, English coach Peter Butler urged his players to remain grounded.

“Stay humble. Sometimes everyone talks about this game, that game, the May 31 match and permutations. But the most important game is the next one and we treat every opponent with respect,” Butler said after training.

“All I want from the girls is to go out there and perform. Don’t get visions of grandeur thinking you’re going to score 10, 11 or 12 goals. Football doesn’t work like that,” he added, describing football as “a marathon rather than a sprint”.

Captain Maria Manda echoed her coach’s views.

“It is our first match and our target is to secure the full three points first. Scoring goals depends on how the match unfolds, so we will try to play our best against Maldives,” said the newly-appointed skipper.

Maria also expressed her desire to give the country an Eid gift with a positive result against Maldives, a side Bangladesh have beaten in all four previous meetings.

“We have come here with big expectations. I seek prayers from the countrymen for something good and we will try not to break their hearts this time,” she said.