Bangladesh girls hungry for winning start

Bangladesh are geared up to launch their AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers campaign against hosts Uzbekistan on 8 October, with the squad targeting a winning start to their Group H challenge.

The Asian Football Confederation has shifted the tournament matches away from the Do’stlik Stadium due to the poor condition of its playing surface, moving fixtures to the nearby Do’stlik Sport Complex Pitch 1.

The touring side completed their fourth workout at the Uzbekistan Football Academy Training Centre in Tashkent on Tuesday, running through possession drills, tactical exercises, and high-intensity small-sided games. The players remain in good health, fully acclimatised, and will put the finishing touches to their game plan on Wednesday afternoon.

Vice-captain and forward Alpi Akter expressed strong confidence ahead of the tie. "Our team is doing very well. We are fully prepared for the match," she said. "Uzbekistan are our first opponents, and we will fight with our maximum effort on the pitch. We are hopeful of gifting Bangladesh a good victory in our opening game."

Alpi explained that the coaching staff had paid close attention to tactical discipline and sharpening up in front of goal. "The coaches worked with us on defending, mid-blocks, and attacking. We focused especially on finishing because we had a slight gap there recently. We are sharp now, and we hope for a positive outcome," she added.

Addressing the drop in temperature, the forward remained unfazed. "It is very hot in Bangladesh and much colder here. But since we arrived five days early, we have had enough time to completely adapt to the weather conditions. We are ready for a strong performance," Alpi said.