Women booters to face off tough challanges in Asian Games

 Sabina Khatun, captain of Bangladesh national women football team thinks that it is a great opportunity for them to  play against the world-class team Japan  when they were in the Group D along with one off top favourites in the Asian Games women’s football. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh national women football team, which left Dhaka last night reached Hangzhou, China to play in the Asian Games to start from September 23 but the Bangladesh team (women) will begin their campaign a day before the Games opener on September 22.

Bangladesh will face off the tough challenge of Japan, which will be the strongest side they have faced ever.  

Japan, former FIFA Women’s World Cup champions one of the powerhouses in the worldwhen they are number eighth FIFA ranking and top ranked team in Asia. 

Japan women football, one of the dominating side in the world football played the Women World Cup for nine times and emerged champions for once, qualified for five times in the Olympic football when played in the final for once and experienced playing 17 times in the Asian Games and won the gold medal for two times. Japan also stunned Spain in the 2023 Women World Cup with a 4-0 defeat when the Spanish women celebrated the title defeating England in the final.   

So it’s something a bigfortune to have the opportunity to play with Japan in any occasion and this time thanks to Asian Games grouping Bangladesh Women have the chance.

Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun, therefore takes it as a great opportunity and they are not afraid of – the most experienced booter, as well as the captain of the team played as overseas player in India and Maldives league said, “I think it is best of luck for us having the opportunity to play with Japan.”

Sabina along with her all team-mates are excited having the opportunity to play with such a big team in the world football. 

Sabina, who is also a fan of Japan women football team also said, “I think it’s important, we have the opportunity to play with Japan rather than to think what would be the result. Japan is my favourite team, in the last World Cup, I supported Japan, now I will play against the team. In fact I am very much excited with this match.” 

Meanwhile, apart from Japan, Bangladesh have another World Cupper Vietnamin their group Group D who played in the 2023 Women World Cupand their (Bangladesh) South Asian rivals Nepal were also drawn in the same group and their only target to win against them (Nepal).

“You know, besides Japan, we have Vietnam in our group, who also played in the Women World Cup 2023 in Australi-New Zealand. So we will try to win against Nepal, they will also try to beat us,” said Sabina. 

“As Japan and Vietnam both the teams are too tough for us to deal with, our main target would be to win against Nepal that is also a prestige issue for us. 

Agencies add 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Women’s cricket team reached the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Monday to compete in the 19th Asian Games.

A 15- member Bangladesh squad, led by Nigar Sultana Jyoti, left Dhaka for China Sunday night and reached Hangzhou Monday noon.

In the last two editions of the Game, they were satisfied with silver but this time, set their target to win the gold.

Cricket is back this time after not being included in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Bangladesh women's cricket team will directly play in the quarter final stage of the meet on September 22, named of the opponents will be known after the qualifying round matches on September 20.

The Tigress will directly play the quarterfinals along with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the tournament to be played from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China.