Fresh off a 3-1 victory over Bhutan, Bangladesh are set to face a stern challenge against India in their second match of the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship in Bhutan today.
The match kicks off at 3:00pm Bangladesh time at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu.
Both teams opened their campaigns with wins, but India currently top the table on goal difference following a commanding 7-0 triumph over Nepal. With the tournament being played in a double round-robin format, today’s clash, as well as the return fixture, could be pivotal in determining the eventual champions.
Bangladesh head coach Mahbubur Rahman Litu’s side will be looking to improve on their performance against Bhutan, which, despite the win, highlighted several areas in need of refinement.
Assistant coach Abul Hossain acknowledged the shortcomings from the first game but expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to learn and adapt.
“Though we made some mistakes in the match against Bhutan, we still came away with a victory,” Abul said in a video message shared by the Bangladesh Football Federation.
He added that the players had undergone a recovery session and that the coaching staff were focused on correcting those errors.
“We will take the field against India after rectifying our mistakes because we don’t want to repeat them. We don’t want to look back; our focus is on the India match,” he said, noting that the final game plan would be shaped after a thorough analysis of India’s performance against Nepal.