Bangladesh embarks on mission for hat-trick SAFF victory amid Eid joy

Sports

Super Admin

Published: Thursday, 28 May 2026

The entire country is festive with the joy of Eid holidays, and at that very moment, the Bangladesh women's football team is stepping onto the field for battle. In the upcoming SAFF Women's Championship in India, two of Bangladesh's group matches fall during the Eid holidays. So, along with the festivities, football excitement has also been added for the country's football fans.

Today, May 28, at 7:30 PM Indian time, Bangladesh's first match will be against Maldives at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. Then on May 31, at the same time, the Bangladesh girls will play against the strong Indian team.

Group 'B' includes Bangladesh, India, and Maldives. Bangladesh will take the field with the aim of a big win against Maldives. Coach Peter Butler believes this victory will help boost confidence before the match against India.

In the last SAFF football competition in 2022, Bangladesh defeated Maldives 3-0. In the previous SAFF, i.e., in 2017, Bangladesh lost 6-0 to Maldives. This time, the team led by Maria Manda will take the field aiming to break all past records and win by an even bigger margin.

Bangladesh team coach Peter Butler does not believe at all in the notion that after India scored 11 goals, Bangladesh must score 12 goals. According to him, Maldives' big loss was due to fatigue from their long journey. So he has advised caution. Butler said, 'If we only chase goals or opportunities, perhaps we will not achieve our actual objective.'