Bangladesh to face Nepal in SAFF final on Wednesday

Defending champions Bangladesh are set to face hosts Nepal in the final of the ongoing South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship 2024 on Wednesday, aiming to retain their regional title.

The match will kick off at 6:45 pm (Bangladesh time) at Dashrath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu.

Bangladesh claimed their first SAFF Women’s Football Championship in 2022, also held in Kathmandu, where they defeated Nepal 3-1 in the final.

In preparation for the upcoming final, the Bangladesh women’s team held a recovery session on Tuesday morning, with gym workouts and swimming, to ensure peak fitness. They also attended a pre-final press conference at the match venue and later engaged in a final tactical training session, emphasizing teamwork and coordination to bolster their chances in the decisive game.

To support the team, newly elected Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Executive Committee members, including Iqbal Hossain, Golam Gaus, Tipu Sultan, and Kamrul Hasan Hilton, have traveled to Kathmandu.

Bangladesh’s skipper Sabina Khatun praised her girls consistence performance in the ongoing SAFF tournament by saying the girls are playing good football.

“It’s a matter of ease that girls are playing good football in the tournament … I expect prayer to my countrymen before the big final match,” said Sabina to a pre-final press conference held on Tuesday at the match venue.

The captain replying to a question said her team would face a little bit disadvantages in the final match because most of the players of this team are young though they have playing experience in this field in front of this home crowd.

“I am enjoying the environment of final match rather I think Nepal will be under pressure in front of their home crowd in the final match,” she added.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh defender Afeida Khandaker expressed confidence ahead of the final, “We clinched the title last time, and we’ll give our best effort to retain it with strong play.” Addressing the Nepalese home crowd’s potential impact, she added, “We don’t feel extra pressure; we’ll treat Nepal’s fans as our supporters.”

Bangladesh reached the final with a stunning performance, including Tohura Khatun’s hattrick in their 7-1 victory over Bhutan in the semifinals. Earlier, they topped Group A with an unbeaten record, notably defeating five-time champions India 3-1 and securing a 1-1 draw with Pakistan, thanks to a last-minute equalizer by Shamsunnahar Jr.

Nepal advanced to the final by eliminating India in a thrilling 4-2 penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, marking their second consecutive SAFF final appearance.