Bangladesh Triumphs, Yet Butler Criticises Pitch

Bangladesh entered the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship as one of the tournament favourites, and their campaign began in emphatic style. On Saturday, in Pokhara, Nepal, the Bangladeshi girls overwhelmed Bhutan with a staggering 12–0 victory in their opening match. Standout performers included Munki Akter and Trishna Rani, both of whom recorded hat-tricks.

Despite the large scoreline, the goals did not come immediately. The breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute when Mamoni Chakma converted a direct corner kick to give Bangladesh the lead. Trishna Rani doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute, followed swiftly by Munki Akter’s strike in the 44th minute, effectively putting the game beyond Bhutan’s reach. During added time in the first half, Munki Akter again found the net from a cross delivered by Puja Das, taking Bangladesh’s tally to four.

The second half saw the Bangladeshi side assert further dominance. In the 54th minute, Trishna Rani’s powerful effort made it 5–0, and six minutes later she completed her hat-trick. Alpi Akter added the seventh goal in the 73rd minute, and Munki Akter extended the lead to 8–0 in the 81st minute after capitalising on an open goal. Within minutes, Alpi Akter struck again, followed by additional goals from Munki Akter and captain Arpita Biswas during stoppage time. The final goal, again by Alpi Akter in the dying moments, cemented Bangladesh’s commanding victory.

Bangladesh vs Bhutan: Goal Summary

However, despite the emphatic win, post-match discussion centred on the quality of the pitch. Bangladesh’s British coach, Peter Butler, voiced his dissatisfaction, stating:
“This pitch is entirely unsuitable for football. It has been painted green to look like grass, but the outfield is in very poor condition. For players at this age level, proper playing surfaces are essential for development. I do not believe we played our best football here, and in reality, it is almost impossible to play quality football on this surface. Nevertheless, we adapted to the conditions reasonably well.”

Bangladesh’s next fixture will be on Monday against India, where the team will hope to build on their dominant start while contending with similar challenges regarding the playing surface.