Bangladesh have taken a deserved 1-0 lead into halftime against Laos in their opening match of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers (Group H). The only goal of the first half came from forward Sagorika, who found the net from a well-worked set-piece. It was a reward for Bangladesh’s dominance in possession and attacking play.
Despite playing away from home, Bangladesh looked confident and composed with the ball. They controlled the tempo from the start and forced Laos to sit deep. The midfield pairing of Munki and Shikha kept things ticking, while Trishna and Puja offered constant threats in the final third. Captain Afeida led the backline with composure and ensured the defence stayed organised during occasional Laos counter-attacks.
Laos did manage to create a few chances on the break, but they struggled to test goalkeeper Swarna Rani Mandal. Most of their attacks lacked the final pass or sharpness in front of goal. In contrast, Bangladesh created more clear-cut chances, though the finishing touch was often missing. The 1-0 scoreline does not fully reflect Bangladesh’s dominance in the half.
Sagorika’s goal was a moment of quality in a half full of energy and intent. Set-pieces were clearly something the team had worked on in training, and it paid off when the opportunity came.
Starting XI for Bangladesh: Swarna Rani Mandal (GK), Nabiran Khatun, Joynob Rita, Afeida Khandaker (C), Sapna Rani, Sree Moti Trishna, Sagorika, Munki Akhter, Puja Das, Sinha Shikha, Shanti Mardi.