No time to rest as Afeida leads Bangladesh’s SAFF U-20 title defence

Bangladesh captain Afeida Khandokar is focused on maintaining the winning rhythm as she leads the hosts in the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship, starting from July 11 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.

Fresh off their historic qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup, many of the Bangladesh women's footballers have had little time to bask in glory. Just a day after returning from Myanmar on Sunday night, 11 of the 23 players were back on the training pitch at dawn, gearing up for their next assignment -- the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship.

Head coach Peter Butler announced a 23-member squad, featuring nine players from the Asian Cup qualifying squad. The squad includes goalkeepers Swarna Rani Mandal and Mile Akter, defender Joynob Bibi Rita, midfielders Munki Akhter and Sapna Rani, and forwards Nabiran Khatun, Sagorika, and Umehla Marma, along with skipper Afeida Khandokar.

"We did not get much time to train together after qualifying for the Asian Cup. But you know we are champions in the last edition in 2023 and we will want to keep that continuity intact because Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are strong opponents and we don't want to take any opponent lightly," Afeida said during a pre-tournament press conference today.

"We want to progress match by match and win the matches to stay on the top of the table," she added.

The tournament will follow a double round-robin format with four teams -- Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan -- each playing six matches. 

India's withdrawal not only altered the format but also boosted Bangladesh's chances of retaining their crown. The team has won four out of five previous SAFF titles, with their only defeat coming in the 2022 final against India.

Afeida reiterated the team's resolve during the squad unveiling at the BFF headquarters: "We'll try our best to keep the title. We can't underestimate any team."

Butler, who guided the senior squad to an unbeaten campaign in Myanmar, echoed the importance of staying grounded amid back-to-back challenges.

"I think the most important thing is we want to go about it the right way… you want to make a good impression and you want to win football matches and put points on the board. Because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about," he said.

"Obviously, since coming back, we've been straight into it. We were at it this morning in the pouring rain, you know, the wee early hours, 5:30, 6:00. And it's just about bringing the girls back down to earth without a bump — bringing them back into reality and making them realise the responsibilities," Butler added.

"We're chasing a little bit of time but we'll be ready. We'll put out a competitive team and I know full well as we progress, we'll improve and get better. We've got some good young players."

Bangladesh's campaign begins against Sri Lanka on July 11, followed by matches against Nepal (July 13), Bhutan (July 15 and 17), Sri Lanka again (July 19), and finally Nepal on July 21.

BANGLADESH SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Swarna Rani Mandal, Mile Akter, Fardosi Akter Shonale
Defenders: Joynob Bibi Rita, Afeida Khandaker (Captain), Surma Jannat, Kanom Akter and Ruma Akter
Midfielders: Sapna Rani, Kanon Rani Bahadur, Oeyshi Khatun, Aoyanto Bala Mahato, Rupa Akter, Bornna Khatun, Munki Akhter, Sinha Jahan Shikha, Shanti Mardi and Nadia Akter Juti.
Forwards: Puja Das, Umehla Marma, Sagorika, Trishna Rani and Nabiran Khatun