Bangladesh began their preparations for the AFC Women’s Under-20 Asian Cup with a creditable 1–1 draw against India in a warm-up match in Thailand. Arriving early to fine-tune their readiness for the continental tournament, the team have scheduled two preparatory fixtures before the competition officially begins.
Coached by Peter Butler, Bangladesh showed discipline and attacking intent in their first outing. Umehla Marma netted the side’s only goal, once again justifying the manager’s long-standing faith in her ability. Butler has consistently backed the forward and regularly names her in the starting line-up.
Following her performance, the coach was full of praise. “She is truly a diamond,” he said.
A number of players in the current squad were also involved in previous Asian Cup campaigns, giving the team valuable tournament experience. Goalkeeping coach Masudur Rahman Ujjal said the staff have been working closely with the players to sharpen performances.
“We’ve shown the players where we performed well in the Asian Cup and where there is still room for improvement. Our focus is on reducing mistakes and improving overall execution,” he said in a video message.
Bangladesh will continue their build-up with another friendly against Jordan women’s national football team on Friday. Their Asian Cup campaign begins on 1 April against hosts Thailand women’s national football team.
They will then face China women’s national football team on 4 April and Vietnam women’s national football team on 7 April in their remaining group fixtures.
