Women booters raise country's flag high

 DHAKA  - After the end of year, it's usually evaluate the performance of men's football team's of their successes and failure.

    As such, 2021 is a year of despair for men's football team because they
participated number of international events but could not bring mentionable
success for the country.

   Bangladesh could able to beat Sri Lanka by 1-0 goal in the prestigious
SAFF Tournament held on Maldives. The Jamal Bhuyan and Co.'s was also poor in
Tri-nation series in Nepal and four-nation Prime Minister Cup in Sri Lanka
and eventually they could not come out from the circle of failure.

  When this year about to end without major success in football, it was the
eve football team who brought some comfort in football by retaining the
trophy of SAFF U-19 Women's football Championship beating favorite India by
1-0 goal in the final.

 A big thank must deserve to Maria Manda and Co. who not only salvaged the
prestige, but also made the golden jubilee of independence a memorable after
winning the SAFF title in the month of victory.

  Apart from the success of SAFF, the women's football team has many pleasant
memories in international and national arena. Once upon a time, it was
unimaginable that the girls of Bangladesh would once play football, but the
girls have changed the attitude completely and become the pride of the
country.

  Although the record of success in men's football has been zero for a decade
and a half, but the girls have able to proved their worth by winning number
titles in various tournaments which is enough to prove that the women's
football has achieved a remarkable progress in the last few years.

  When the men's football team has been struggling for trophy, it was seemed
that it'll also be also tough for the women's football team to get the
success, but Maria and co. have made the impossible possible by winning the
SAFF trophy.

  The eve football team played goalless draw with Nepal in their opening
group stage match of the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship and beat favorite
India 1-0, Bhutan 6-0 and Sri Lanka 12-0 respectively to secure their spot of
final.

  In the final, Bangladesh launched attack on India and spoiled number of
scoring opportunities. Mogini however did not frustrate the local crowds as
riding on her only goal Bangladesh eventual won the title of SAFF U-19
Women's Championship.

  Bangladesh scored twenty goals to their opponents' net but did not concede
any single goal which was also a record in the South Asian women's football.

  Credit must goes to head coach Golam Robanni Chotin behind the success of
women's football team. He is the main architect of the eve football team.  

  On the other hand, the men's SAFF Championship was held in Maldives. On the
eve of start of the SAFF Championship, the Bangladesh Football Federation
suddenly appointed Bashundhara Kings' head coach Oscar Bruzon as interim head
coach of national football team by replacing English coach Jamie Day although
their plan did not work properly as Bangladesh failed to break the one and
half decade jinx in SAFF Football and returned home with empty hand.  

  Bangladesh also remained title less in Tri Nation Cup in Nepal and four-
nation Prime Minister Cup in Sri Lanka though Bangladesh able to beat
Maldives by 2-1 goals in four-nation tournament after 2003.

  In the domestic football, Bashundhara Kings maintained their supremacy by
winning almost all the major trophies. They began the new football season by
winning the title of curtain raiser Federation Cup Football beating Saif
Sporting Club by 1-0 goal in the final.

  Bashundhara Kings are the only team who won the prestigious Bangladesh
Premier League (BPL) title in their debut appearance after the independence.
In terms of strength, Bashundhara Kings were also hot favorite in this year's
BPL and they again proved it on the ground after winning the title of BPL for
second successive time in a row.

  Kings represented on behalf of Bangladesh in the AFC Cup though they could
not go to the next round. Despite their consistence successes in domestic
football, Kings ended the year after a 0-3 goal defeat to Abahani Limited,
Dhaka in the final of Independence Cup tournament.BSS