Maria to miss Chinese Taipei ties

Bangladesh's campaign of two FIFA International friendly matches against Chinese Taipei begins on Friday at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, but the women in red and green will be without creative midfielder Maria Manda, who sustained an injury during a Women's Football League fixture on Tuesday.

The injury of Maria, who has been a consistent member of the team for a long time, has opened an opportunity for U-19 team's midfielder Munki Akhter.

Meanwhile, interim coach Peter James Bulter elevated three more U-19 players -- goalkeeper Yearzan Begum, attackers Mosammat Sagorika, and Sauravi Akanda Prity -- to the senior squad for the first time.

"One person is unfortunate but another person gains. It is a great opportunity for the young players to step in and claim their positions. I say complacency is a disease and you need to resume the competitive environment within your group," Butler said about the newcomers of the senior side during a press briefing at the BFF House yesterday.

Asked about the expectation in two matches, the experienced English coach said, "I watched a lot of videos of good players, very disciplined and organised. I want a creditable performance -- that is my first objective -- and bring some stability and consistency in the group, and the drive to get the results."

Captain Sabina Khatun said, "We previously played against strong teams like Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal and Asian Games matches against Vietnam and Japan, gaining a lot of experience. We are also expecting tough matches against Chinese Taipei.

"It is time to play against the strong opponents, without thinking much of the outcomes because the girls will be able to realise their performance and think of how to improve it."