U-18 girls begin Saff campaign Sunday

Published at 05:46 pm September 29th, 2018

Bangladesh U-18 team's Anuching Mogini and Monika Chakma (R) during training in Thimphu in September BFF

Head coach Golam Rabbani Choton’s side are considered favourite to win the title and all three points in the first game would ensure them a place in the semi-finals along with Nepal, who had earlier thrashed Pakistan 12-0 on the inaugural day of the event Thursday

Bangladesh team will kick off the inaugural edition of the Saff U-18 Women’s Championship campaign with the game against Pakistan at Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan’s capital Thimphu Sunday at 7pm, Bangladesh standard time.

Mishrat Jahan Mousumi was named the new captain of the team and she express confidence of putting on a good show while Choton and BFF’s technical and strategic director Paul Thomas Smalley also echoed the same sentiment to that of Mousumi.

Bangladesh girls arrived in Bhutan Wednesday, ahead of the Saff U-18 Championship, scheduled to be held from Friday to October 7.https://t.co/giCEsCuIbJ #BANGLADESH #BFF #FOOTBALL #BANGLADESHFOOTBALL #SAFF #CHAMPIONSHIP #SAFFCHAMPIONSHIP #SAFFU18CHAMPIONSHIP #SOUTHASIANFOOTBALL
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) September 26, 2018

All the players, including 13 from the AFC U-16 Championships Qualifiers squad from the last week are fit and prepared to give their best. Former U-16 stars like Srimoti Krishna Rani Sarkar, Sirat Jahan Shopna, Sanjida Khatun and Mousumi are also eager to make their return to the competition after almost a year.

The tournament got underway Thursday when Pakistan conceded a humiliating defeat in their Group B opener against Nepal and another defeat will send them out of the tournament. Other favourite India also began their campaign with a 4-0 win over host Bhutan on the same day.

Prior to the game Saturday, the players had a walking session after breakfast, before hitting the gym and undergoing conditioning session. The players also had a light development programme.

The 30-member Bangladesh contingent, including 23 players, reached Thimphu Wednesday for the six-nation event with an eye on the final. They will take on Nepal in their last group stage match Tuesday.