The journey of Bangladesh’s women footballers in the AFC Women’s Champions League began on a sour note as Bhutan’s Royal Thimphu College suffered a 2-0 defeat against Kaohsiung Attackers of Chinese Taipei in their opening group match in Vientiane, Laos.
The Attackers struck once in each half to seal the victory, leaving Royal Thimphu and their Bangladeshi recruits Afeida, Shamsunnahar, Ripa, Swapna and Tohura with plenty to ponder.
Only three weeks ago, Vientiane had been the site of celebration for these same players. Representing Bangladesh, they created history by qualifying for the final round of the AFC Under-20 Women’s Championship for the very first time. This time, though, the return to Laos was far less joyous as they lined up in foreign colours.
Bangladesh remain South Asian champions in back-to-back editions at senior level, yet the country lacks a professional structure to field clubs in continental women’s competitions. As a result, Bangladeshi players often turn out for foreign sides to gain opportunities at the highest stage. In this case, they joined Bhutan’s Royal Thimphu College, a club that continues to feature in the AFC Women’s Champions League while no Bangladeshi side has ever made the cut.
It is not the first time Bangladeshi footballers have worn the Thimphu shirt. Last year, Rituporna, Monika and Maria Manda represented the Bhutanese outfit in the same tournament when the matches were held in Thimphu. This season, the club travelled to Laos for their group stage fixtures.
Royal Thimphu’s campaign is far from over. The next challenge will be a tough clash against North Korea’s Naegohyang on 28 August, before wrapping up the group stage against Laos’ Master Association on 31 August. For Afeida, Shamsunnahar and their teammates, the task is clear: regroup quickly and prove their quality in the coming matches.