Bangladesh’s U-20 women’s football team will play two warm up matches against India and Jordan before the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup in Thailand. The matches will help the team prepare for the tournament, which will run from 1 to 18 April in Bangkok.
The team will leave Dhaka on 21 March. After reaching Thailand, they will begin their final preparations and play the two friendly matches. Before the trip, the squad will train in a short camp at home to improve tactics and build team understanding.
Bangladesh Football Federation Women’s Wing Chairperson Mahfuza Akhter Kiron said preparations are moving well.
The tournament will be a new chapter for Bangladesh. It will be their first appearance in the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup. The team is in Group A with hosts Thailand, China and Vietnam.
China are seen as the strongest side in the group. Thailand and Vietnam are also strong teams. But Bangladesh believe they can compete against them. A win against either side could open a path to the knockout stage.
Bangladesh will start their campaign against Thailand on 1 April. They will then face China on 4 April. Their final group match will be against Vietnam on 7 April.
The squad includes a mix of young players and senior team members. Eleven footballers from the senior national side will join the U-20 camp.
These players include goalkeeper Mile Akter. Defenders Afeida Khandaker, Nabiran Khatun and Surovi Akter Afrin are also in the squad. Midfielders Munki Akter and Sapna Rani are part of the group. Forwards Umhela Marma and Souravi Akanda Prity will also play.
Some of them recently played in Australia in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Those players are Mile, Afeida, Sapna, Umhela and Prity. Their experience at the international level is expected to help the younger members of the team.
There were also questions about the tournament because of the global energy crisis in Thailand. Reports said the government had taken steps such as giving diesel subsidies, asking some officials to work from home, and limiting elevator use.
However, Kiron said the event will go ahead as planned. “As of now, everything is on time and there are no problems. Yes, the global energy situation has worsened after conflicts in the Middle East.”
“But it hasn’t affected the tournament so far. According to the latest information, all AFC schedules are intact and everything is proceeding as planned,” Kiron said.
Bangladesh will now focus on the two warm up matches against India and Jordan. The team hopes these games will help them arrive at the tournament ready to compete in their first ever AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup.
