Bangladesh women’s national team head coach Peter James Butler has praised his players’ resilience and spirit despite a tough second-half collapse against one of the best under-20 sides in world football.
Reflecting on the match, Butler admitted he knew at half-time that his players were physically drained. “We had fever, injuries and a number of problems,” he said. “By the break, I could tell they were spent. But I admire the way they rose above that. We didn’t qualify based on one game alone; it was over three or four matches, and from our perspective, we achieved what we wanted to achieve. We just couldn’t put the icing on the cake.”
The match had started promisingly, with Bangladesh going into half-time level at 1-1 after matching their world-class opponents stride for stride. “We went toe to toe with them,” Butler recalled. “We could have parked the bus and gone route one, but that’s not how I work. We tried to play our football, even against one of the strongest teams out there.”
Butler described the match as a valuable learning curve for his players. “They really put us to the sword in the second half, but I was proud of the way we approached it. We have to remember this is part of a bigger journey,” he said.
Looking at the bigger picture, Butler believes Bangladesh’s steady rise in the FIFA rankings is no accident. “This all started back in Chinese Taipei last year, then continued in the UAE and South Asia. Our improvement in the rankings has come from creating a more competitive and healthier working environment. The girls have done extremely well and they fully deserve the recognition and accolades,” he explained.
Bangladesh currently sit at 104 in the FIFA rankings, but Butler remains cautious. “It’s like snakes and ladders. What goes up can come down quickly. We have to be realistic, keep working diligently and aim to break into the top 100,” he said.
For Butler, the mission is clear, build on the momentum, maintain standards and ensure Bangladesh women’s football continues its upward trajectory.