Bangladesh to face Pakistan in SAFF Women's Championship opener

Defending champions Bangladesh will kick off their campaign in South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship 2024 with a Group A clash against Pakistan on Sunday. 

The match is scheduled for 5:45 pm Bangladesh time at the Dashrath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This will be Bangladesh's first match in the tournament while Pakistan will look to bounce back from their 2-5 loss against former champions India in the opener. 

Bangladesh is placed in a three-team Group A alongside India and Pakistan, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan, and host nation Nepal.

The defending champions, who secured the title in 2022, will face five-time winners India in their second group match on October 23. 

Ahead of the crucial opener, Bangladesh's National Women's Football team completed an intense training session at St. Xavier's ground on Saturday, followed by an ice bath recovery session to ensure peak fitness for the match.

Speaking to the press, Bangladesh head coach Peter James Butler and captain Sabina Khatun expressed confidence and readiness to face Pakistan. "We are fully prepared and optimistic about making a strong start to our title defense," said Sabina.

Following the opening matches, India leads Group A with three points, while Bangladesh and Pakistan are in second and third positions, respectively. In Group B, Sri Lanka tops the table with three points after a 1-0 win over the Maldives, while Bhutan and Nepal share second and third places with one point each after a goalless draw. The Maldives currently sit at the bottom without any points.