Golam Rabbani Choton, head coach of the Bangladesh national women’s national football team is very much optimistic to win the today’s final match of the SAFF Women’s Football Championship 2022 when they will take the challenge of their Nepal counterparts at the Dasarat Rangashala Stadium, Kathmandu.
Bangladesh stormed into the final of the biggest tournament for women in the South Asian football for the second time as the unbeaten group champion.
On their way to move into the final, they just outplayed their group stage opponents Maldives by 3-0, Pakistan by 6-0, demolished the fifth time champions and the tournament’s all-time favourite India by 3-0. In the semifinal they crushed Bhutan by 8-0.
Bangladesh played the final for once out of the last five occasions of the SAFF Women’s Championship in 2016 when they had suffered defeat to India by 3-1 to be satisfied with the runners up trophy.
Choton, while talking to Bangladesh Post from Kathmandu on Sunday said that considering the four encounters of the group leg Bangladesh is the favourite in the final.
“If you have a look to the results and the performances of our girls in the group stage matches, we showed great confidence with the ball, we did really well. We worked to understand the way of playing attacking game with the space the opponents conceded to us.”
“The players know very well that I want to win. It’s normal, and I want to bring this team to think of a superior level, the only thing I ask my players to assure me to win, but not to drop the level,” Choton replied to a query.
“I do believe that we are the favourites in the final and to be honest we deserve to win the final,” Choton said, replying to a query that the previous records against Nepal are not good in this tournament when in their three time meetings Bangladesh suffered defeats.
About the home advantage and the supports of the home crowds, Choton said, “In the past, we played in the same situation in Bhutan, Myanmar and some other venues, when you want to be competitive and fight for something it’s important to keep the cool.”
“So, we will have no problem with the crowds, we know there would be packed up gallery and it’s a very usual scenario.
Choton also conveyed respect to the host rival – “Nepal is very strong side, they are strong team like India. However, I have every belief in my girls that they have the ability to beat Nepal and make a history winning the trophy for the first time.”
About the possibility of playing in the final of the key weapons Shopna, coach said that he was optimistic about her recovery.
Shopna, the forward is always a great threat for the opponents’ defenders when she just ransacks the defence line to open scoring opportunities.
While talking to this reporter from Kathmandu Choton said, “Shopna now feels better. I expect she would be okay before the game and play.”
