Bangladesh’s women’s field hockey team have climbed to the top of Group A at the Asian Games hockey qualifiers after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Uzbekistan in Jakarta on Friday, their first win of the campaign.
The win was Bangladesh’s first ever in international women’s hockey. Their journey on the world stage had begun only a day earlier, when they made their international debut against Chinese Taipei, a match they drew 5-5 in dramatic fashion. That result, combined with Friday’s victory, leaves Bangladesh with four points from two matches and well placed heading into the final group stage game.
Bangladesh made a purposeful start against an Uzbekistan side that had arrived in form, having thrashed Hong Kong 4-0 earlier in the tournament. Rimon Sarika broke the deadlock in the 11th minute with a well-executed penalty corner, only for Uzbekistan to level within sixty seconds, a swift and unsettling response.
Bangladesh, however, refused to be rattled. They reasserted their authority through the middle two quarters, with Kona Akter restoring the lead via a precise strike in the second quarter, before Irin Ria added a third from another penalty corner in the third to put daylight between the sides.
After the match, an elated Ria, player of the match award in hand, said: “I am very happy to have been named player of the match today. Everyone in our team supported me brilliantly, and it is because of that we have been able to reach this stage. This victory belongs to all of us.”
It is also worth noting that the credit for Bangladesh’s first ever goal in international hockey also belongs to Ria.
Uzbekistan pressed for a way back into the match in the fourth quarter, and their captain Zulkhumor Khaidarova converted a penalty stroke to narrow the deficit. It set up a tense finish, but Bangladesh defended resolutely to see the game out.
They will now face Hong Kong in their final group fixture on Sunday, with the top two sides from each group earning qualification for the Asian Games hockey event, due to be held in Japan in September.
