The 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup is expected to take place on 7–20 April 2024. However, the qualification round for the final tournament has just started, and the Bangladesh U-17 Women’s team will play the second and last match on April 30, 2023. In the upcoming final tournament, a total of eight teams will participate. The host country and the top three teams from the previous tournament in 2019 will automatically qualify for the tournament. The remaining four teams will be determined through the qualification process. And Bangladesh will have to fight to be one of those four teams to play in the final tournament.
Bangladesh Squad in 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers
On Sunday, April 16, the Bangladesh Football Federation announced a 22-player squad for the upcoming qualifiers of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2024 in Singapore. The U-17 national women’s team will participate in the three-team Group D of the qualifiers, played against Turkmenistan on April 26, and will play the hosts Singapore on April 30 at Jalan Besar Stadium in Kallang.
Bangladesh Squad
Goalkeepers: Jui Akter, Mahlathui Marma, and Songgita Rani Das.
Defenders: Arpita Biswas Arpita, Kanom Akter, Ananna Murmu Bithi, Mst Joynob Bibi Rita (vice-captain), Mst Ruma Akter (captain), Nadia Akter Juti, and Ritu Akter.
Midfielders: Kanon Rani Bahadur, Arifa Akter, Most Munki Akhter, Mst Oeyshi Khatun, Munne, Nusrat Jahan Mitu, and Puja Das.
Forwards: Mst Sagorika, Mst Sultana Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Sree Moti Trishna Rani, Thuinuye Marma, and Umehla Marma.
Read More: AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh to play hosts Singapore in a do-or-die match Sunday
Most of these players have experience playing in an international event such as the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship. And some of the players had outstanding performances in the tournament. For example, Trishna Rani and Thuinuye Marma scored two goals against Bhutan. So, we can expect the same performance from them in the qualification round of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asia Cup. Apart from them, Sultana Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Sagorika, and Munne may also have a great impact on the tournament.
Prospect of Bangladesh in 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualification
Previously the Bangladesh Football Federation did not allow the team to play in the Olympic qualifiers due to a financial crisis. After that, Bangladeshi football fans erupted in anger against the federation, and now the U-17 team started their qualification journey for the 2024 AFC U-17 Asia Cup.
Singapore hosts the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Indonesia 2024 qualifiers with the support of the Asian Football Confederation. Bangladesh is in Group D of the competition. The remaining two teams in Bangladesh’s group are hosts Singapore and Turkmenistan. Bangladesh will play one match each with Singapore and Turkmenistan in the ‘D’ group, where the Tigresses want to play in the second round as group champions. And Bangladeshi girls got a great start to achieving the goal. Bangladesh beat Turkmenistan by 6-0 at Jalan Besar Stadium.
From the beginning of the match, Bangladesh put pressure on Turkmenistan, and they were cornered by one attack after another. As a result, Bangladesh got the goal quickly. Midfielder Puja Das opened the scoring in 3 minutes. Forward Thuinuye Marma scored in the 5th minute to make it 2-0. Another goal came from her feet in the 53rd minute, which was the team’s fourth goal. In the 39th minute, defender and captain Ruma Akter made it 3-0. Forward Sauravi made it 5-0 with a penalty in the 60th minute. The sixth and final goal came in the 82nd minute from the penalty spot, scored by substitute forward Trishna.
Read More: AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh make flying start outplaying Turkmenistan by 6-0 goals
Bangladesh will play the second and final match against the host Singapore on April 30. However, most of the footballers in the U-17 team do not have experience playing on foreign fields. But according to coach Golam Rabbani, the girls are not afraid, and his words have been proven in the first game against Turkmenistan. So, we can see a great prospect reaching this team in the final tournament. Also, this team played in the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship, where Bangladesh beat Bhutan and India. So, the experience from SAFF U-17 will also come in handy for the girls.
Final Words
So far, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, and China qualified for the final tournament automatically. And after the qualification round, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India secured the second round. Bangladesh must need a win against Singapore today to secure the second round in the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup qualification.