Winning the second SAFF Championship should open more doors for Bangladeshi women footballers
Till the 80th minute, the scores were tied at a goal each. Both Bangladesh and Nepal fought brilliantly till that point; however, after Nepal equalised, they began to pose more of a threat in the attacking third. Two attacks from Sabitra Bhandari exposed Bangladesh's deteriorating physicality, but somehow they held on. Then, a quick throw-in changed everything.
Ritu Porna Chakma received the ball well on the far left, quickly manoeuvring past the Nepali defender before lopping it over three players and the keeper. When the shot left her foot, it felt like time had stopped. It sailed past Anjila Subba and beyond her reach, hitting the back of the net. The entire stadium fell silent, except for the dugout of the visiting team. There it was, the winning goal, and it was a spectacular one.
Bangladesh came into the SAFF Women's Championship as the defending champions. After drawing with Pakistan, they convincingly defeated India, SAFF's powerhouse, with a scoreline of 3-1. In the semifinals, Tohura Khatun's hattrick and Sabina Khatun's brace secured a resounding 7-1 win, setting up a rematch of the previous edition's final against host Nepal.
Aside from India, no other team has won the competition, let alone twice. This victory comes at a critical time as Bangladesh undergoes a political and systemic reform. With a young leader, Asif Mahmud, at the forefront as the youth and sports adviser on the interim government, every major win strengthens the case for giving female athletes the respect and budget they deserve in order to progress their development
