Bangladesh may have secured a 4–1 win over Bhutan in the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship on Tuesday, but the focus after the final whistle quickly shifted to the bizarre and potentially dangerous circumstances under which the match was played.
Heavy rain during the first half at Bashundhara Kings Arena left the pitch completely waterlogged, forcing officials to suspend play and shift the remainder of the game to the nearby Bashundhara Sports Ground—an unprecedented mid-game venue change.
Head coach Peter Butler, visibly frustrated after the final whistle, did not mince his words. “It was a tale of two halves, wasn’t it? The first half started on one pitch in a stadium, and the second half was played on a different field altogether. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the Englishman.
“You just can’t coach that. There’s no way in the world you can put a game plan together under those circumstances—it turns into kick and rush,” he added.
Butler, who started the match with nine of his regulars on the bench, admitted he feared for his players’ safety. “It’s not good for the game. I’ve come to this part of the world to help grow football, to give it some momentum, and that sort of situation is damaging,” he said. “It was, in my opinion, dangerous for player welfare.”
The veteran coach said he had warned officials about the unplayable pitch conditions before kick-off. “I told the referees and match officials the surface wasn’t fit. It took three hours to arrive at a sensible decision. Moving the game was common sense, and I’m just glad we managed to finish it safely and build some momentum in the second half.”
Despite the logistical chaos, Bangladesh delivered a dominant performance on the pitch, but Butler’s post-match comments have sparked renewed concerns over infrastructure and player safety in regional women’s football.