Alfaz hopes 'this is only the beginning’

It was a cold, rainy evening at the Dasarath Rangasala in Kathmandu, but it was not only the weather that was conspiring against Bangladesh. There was also a hostile capacity crowd, cheering on hosts Nepal, but the women held their nerve and clinched their most significant milestone by winning a maiden SAFF Women's Championship title with a 3-1 victory in yesterday's final.

As the nation celebrated a glorious triumph, legendary striker Alfaz Ahmed put the challenge in perspective through the lens of the 1999 South Asian Games, when he led the men's team to a first gold medal in football against Nepal in a final at the same venue.

"When you play an away game, you're not just playing against the host team, you're playing in front of passionate supporters. Things mostly favour the hosts. The challenge is much bigger," Alfaz told The Daily Star. "But if you ask me how it feels to win, I can't put my emotions into words. The entire country is very happy and proud of what our women have achieved."

Sanjida Akhter, who comes from the famed Kalsindur village in Dhobaura, Mymensingh, recalled the struggles this team had to endure in a post on social media ahead of the final. She also reminded that this team belonged to everyone and was made up of players from all corners of the country.

Skipper Sabina Khatun has spoken about the struggles that women face forging a livelihood through professional football several times in the past. Although she stated that the situation has somewhat improved, there is scope to make things far better.

Alfaz echoed those sentiments, adding that the future of women's football in Bangladesh could only improve if domestic football was structured properly.

"Winning international matches is undoubtedly a great feat. It will give you fame and win the love of the people. But that is not enough when you think about making a living. If the women's football league is well-structured, it will give them an opportunity to not only play more often, but to earn a better livelihood."

When asked whether any footballer stood out in the tournament, the legendary striker put a spotlight on the team's overall finishing quality.

"Obviously it was a team effort," Alfaz said. "But the quality of their finishing is something that got my attention. They scored tremendous goals in nervy situations. Scoring three past India is not something to take lightly. Even in the final, when Nepal got one back [to make it 2-1], I was a bit anxious. But they scored yet another beautiful goal to take the game away and seal the championship," Alfaz concluded.

Following their success at the South Asian level, Alfaz believes this team has the quality to expand their horizons on the Asian level.

"I hope this is only the beginning. Some of these players have the quality to go beyond regional success. And the way that this team is marching forward, I believe they can get themselves to a higher level in Asian football," he concluded.