Bangladesh women’s national football team have landed in Australia and wasted no time getting to work, with Sweden-grown Anika admitting the weather now poses her biggest early challenge as preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup gather pace in Sydney.
The squad arrived late on Friday and trained the following morning, a deliberate move from the coaching staff to fast-track adaptation. The plan focuses on fitness, recovery and learning how to survive Australian heat before the tournament kicks off on 1 March.
Anika sounded upbeat after the second day on the training ground, even as the sun cranked up the pressure. “It feels good, we are on our second day of training here and it is very hot, but we are getting used to it and it improves every day,” she said, mixing honesty with optimism.
She did not dress it up when talking about the conditions. “For me, the weather is still hard and it is hotter here than in Bangladesh, so I am still adjusting,” she admitted, a reminder that acclimatisation now matters as much as tactics.
Away from the pitch, the camp has already started to knit together. “I am staying with Afeida, we are having a lot of fun in Sydney and the team bonding keeps getting better,” Anika said, underlining how togetherness could become Bangladesh’s quiet weapon.
Bangladesh face a brutal Group B at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, opening against nine-time champions China before clashes with North Korea and Uzbekistan. Two games stay in Sydney, while Perth hosts the third.
The coaching staff pushed the team to arrive early for a reason. Extra days on Australian pitches should help the players judge bounce, pace and recovery under unfamiliar heat.
