Bangladesh hope to bounce back against Nepal after correcting mistakes

The Bangladesh women’s football team has been left mentally shaken after a 3-0 defeat to India. Bangladesh had beaten India 3-0 and 3-1 in the previous two editions of the SAFF Women’s Championship, making Sunday’s loss a significant setback in their quest for a third consecutive title.

Having failed to overcome India, Bangladesh finished as group runners-up and will now face Nepal in the semi-finals on 3 June.

The players were not scheduled for training in Goa on Monday. Instead, they took part in a recovery session, which is routinely held on the day following a match.

No player spoke directly to the media. However, the Bangladesh Football Federation’s media department circulated an official statement in which goalkeeping coach Masud Ahmed discussed the team’s overall situation.

Openly acknowledging the team’s shortcomings against India, he said, “We were unable to play according to our plan on Sunday. We had assigned individual responsibilities to the players. Some executed them well, while others could not. Against a team like India, if every department fails to perform collectively, you are bound to be punished, and that is exactly what happened to us.”

Despite the setback, the team has already begun preparations for the semi-final. Speaking about Bangladesh’s readiness for the Nepal match and the players’ mental condition, Masud Ahmed said, “We are talking to the players and working on how to address the problems. We hope the girls will bounce back against Nepal.”

Restoring the players’ confidence and helping them rediscover their usual rhythm has now become the management’s primary objective.

Elaborating on the process, he added, “We will try to show the players the major mistakes we made and discuss how to overcome them. We are also working to lift each player mentally so that they can return to playing their natural game.”

Goalkeeper Mili Akter sustained a head injury during the previous match, raising some concerns. However, the goalkeeping coach sought to reassure supporters, saying: “We hope Mili will be ready for the next match.”

All in all, the Bangladesh camp in Goa is now focused on recovering from the disappointment against India, correcting their mistakes, and formulating a plan to overcome Nepal in the semi-final.