Afeida eyes to maintain winning consistency in the SAFF

The sixth edition of SAFF Women’s U-20 Championship will be held from July 11-21 at Bashundhara Kings arena in the capital. Bangladesh is the defending champions of the tournament jointly along with India, who is not participating in the tournament this time.

“After coming from AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers we have got a little time to take preparation with this team ….. we practiced just as the coach told us ……  as this team is the current champions of South Asia, so we want to maintain this winning consistency,” Afeida said at a press conference held at Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Bhaban today.

She said all the teams that are playing in this tournament are good and strong, and there is no scope to underestimate any team, and each player of the team is upbeat to give maximum effort to win match by match.

The Bangladesh captain said each player have good combinations with the junior players because all the players of the senior team have been making practice together under coach Peter Butler.

Asked if she fells any challenge in this tournament because the concentration may lose immediately after finishing the AFC Asian Cup, Afeida said when a player go to the field to play, a player has to give full concentration no matter who is the opponent in the field. We’ll go to the field with full concentration and want to win all the matches.

Head coach Peter James Butler, who was present in the press conference, said after coming from Asian cup the team is moving a different phase tournament. 

The English coach termed SAFF is the development tournament and it is a great opportunity for the players to make them preparation through this tournament because a player need performance first not the result first.

BFF and AFC member and Bangladesh women’s football wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron informed that this time the tournament would be held a little different compared to the last SAFF. Championship. The tournament would be held in a round robin league basis and the highest point achiever would be crowned champions.

“She said although India is not participating in the tournament this time but we will play competitive matches and become champions”, she said.

“The women’s wing chairman said as we have constant success in age level football so we don’t want to break consistency rather we want to continue this success,” he said.

She considers that due to the recent performance Bangladesh ranking in FIFA would be improved and this team would go to a better position in the next FIFA ranking to be held on August 7.

Apart from host Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka will participate in the championship. Nepal (100) received the highest rank in this tournament followed by Bangladesh 128, Sri Lanka 159 Bhutan 171.
 
Private satellite channel T- Sports will provide live stream all the matches of the tournament, reports BSS.