Bangladesh Under-20 women's football team will look to continue their commanding run in the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship today (Thursday), as they prepare to face Bhutan in their fourth group stage match. The encounter is set to kick off in the capital, with Bangladesh aiming to solidify their position at the top of the points table.
The defending champions arrive into this fixture brimming with confidence, having already secured three successive victories in the tournament. Their campaign began with a resounding 9-1 thrashing of Sri Lanka, followed by a dramatic 3-2 last-gasp victory over arch-rivals Nepal. Most recently, on Tuesday, Bangladesh once again demonstrated their superiority over Bhutan, securing a 4-1 win in a match notably affected by heavy rain, which saw the second half controversially shifted to the practice ground adjacent to the main venue.
In that rain-affected encounter, midfielder Shanti Mardi was the star, slamming a brilliant hat-trick against Bhutan. She opened the scoring for Bangladesh in the 7th minute, added her second in the 57th, and completed her first international hat-trick in the 79th minute. Munki Akter also contributed a goal in the 76th minute. Despite Bhutan briefly levelling the score through Sangay in the 53rd minute, Bangladesh's quality ultimately shone through.
Bangladesh currently sits atop the points table with a perfect nine points from three matches, showcasing their dominance in this four-nation competition. Bhutan, conversely, is yet to register a point from their three outings, struggling to find their footing against the stronger sides.
With the tournament adopting a double round-robin format where the team topping the league table will be crowned champions, every point is crucial for Bangladesh. Today's match against Bhutan presents another opportunity for Peter Butler's side to extend their lead and further cement their status as clear favourites for the title. Given their previous comprehensive victory over the same opponent, Bangladesh will be expected to control proceedings and secure another comfortable win, maintaining their impressive unbeaten streak.
