Umehla Marma: The girl from tomorrow

The clouds last Sunday could not wait to let loose as the minutes in the stoppage time had stretched to an odd double digits. Defending champions Bangladesh and title aspirants Nepal were level in their second match of SAFF U-20 Women's Championship. The home fans at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, wrapped in denser monsoon air and tension, held their humidified breath in anticipation.

Then came a run, executed to near perfection. Time slowed down.

Umehla Marma, the 18-year-old forward, sprang into motion; after the team looked out of sorts in the last 30-35 minutes and had left head coach Peter Butler displeased and with more wrinkles on his 58-year-old forehead, to say the least.

Darting in from the centre-right of midfield, she carried the ball beyond her marker with the assurance of someone who had rehearsed the scenario in her head a hundred times. Her square pass from the edge of the box served striker Trishna Rani Sarkar on a silver platter to place it home.

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One hattrick, two venues

It was the last kick of the game and, naturally, the crowd went berserk; some almost broke the fence in a frenzy. The scoreboard stood still for a second longer before blinking the final outcome: 3-2 to the home side.

This Bangladesh U-20 squad is laced with nine names from the recent historic Asian Cup qualifying campaign in Myanmar, including captain and defensive bedrock Afeida Khandokar, midfield engine Sapna Rani, and Umehla.

Photo: BFF

The ongoing age-level regional meet may not carry the gravitas to garner attention on a wider scale, but for English coach Peter Butler, Umehla and company's development arc carries weight -- much more than the match results -- as they prepare to embark on the voyage to next year's Asian Cup in Australia.

"[Umehla] She's a wonderful talent," Butler said after the win over Nepal. "She can go left or right; got a bag of tricks; always willing to run."

Wearing the No. 11 shirt -- a number that signifies flair -- Umehla is two-footed, often cutting inside with her left as an inverted winger or initiating attacks with passes between the lines from deeper regions.

No wonder that she has an inclination towards playmakers; mostly left-footed.

"I admire everyone in our team, especially Ritu [Porna Chakma] apu, Monika [Chakma] apu, and Rupna [Chakma] apu. And abroad, it's [Lionel] Messi," she had said after returning from Myanmar, where she featured as a substitute in Bangladesh's 7-0 thrashing of Turkmenistan as women in red and green signed off an utterly memorable run.

Before the Asian Cup Qualifiers, Umehla was part of the senior squad in their away friendly fixture against Jordan, but didn't get a chance to play. This tournament, though, she had started in Bangladesh's 9-1 rout of Sri Lanka in the tournament opener and returned to the starting eleven on Tuesday when Bangladesh faced Bhutan in a cautious tussle on a rain-soaked Kings Arena pitch.

And in vividly challenging circumstances, with threats of lightning and thunders also looming, Umehla produced her own sparks. Although she neither scored nor assisted Bangladesh's opening goal, scored by Shanti Mardi, it was a sample from Umehla's "bag of tricks" which proved key to breaking the deadlock -- before the game was halted at halftime for poor playing conditions with score 1-0, and later moved to Kings Training Ground where it ended 4-1 for the hosts.

In the sixth minute, the girl sporting a ponytail had the ball in her usual territory. She first stretched her marker by going around on the outside, cutting back in with her left foot, then turning into her own half before twisting once more to leave the Bhutanese defender dazed and derailed.

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Even on a super-slippery surface, Umehla has been a relentless force, sending one cross after another and, like a leader without an armband, rarely hesitating in tracking back to aid defensive transitions when needed. She later provided the assist for the team's fourth goal with a right-footed cross, sliced with ample backspin, landing behind the defender to allow Shanti to control the ball with ease and complete her hattrick on the night.

Hailing from Rangamati, Umehla played for the U-15, U-17, and U-19s before making the cut to the senior side. And with someone like Aungmraching Marma having fared as senior team captain and forward when women's football in the country was taking its baby steps, Umehla's journey ties the past to the present. Another Marma name, too, has been gaining ground in national football: Mitul Marma, goalkeeper for the senior men's team.

For the community, the pride is quiet and enduring. For the players, it is about showing up and doing the job; and slowly sketching their place on the canvas of Bangladesh football.

"I want to continue my practice with full focus. The way our coach is training us and putting faith in us, I want to fulfil all his expectations.

Photo: BFF

"Everyone has their goals, and I do as well: I want to keep playing for the senior team and deliver strong performances for the country."

It's so far so good, given the promise she carries.