Preview: India, Bangladesh eye pole position in Group A

The Blue Tigresses demolished Maldives 9-0 in their previous clash.

The Indian women’s team is dominating the ongoing 2022 SAFF Women’s Championship. The tournament is taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal and attracting a lot of attention. India is the defending champion; in fact, the nation has won all five of the previous editions of the tournament. Judging by the opening two matches and their outcomes, it will be difficult for any opposition to stop the juggernaut that is the Indian women’s football team.

The upcoming match against Bangladesh will be the final Group A fixture, one that India will hope to win comfortably and finish as group leaders. Their opponents have also won their opening two matches and have a good chance to cause an upset on Tuesday.

Here is what to expect from the upcoming match between India and Bangladesh at the 2022 SAFF Women’s Championship.

The Stakes

The Indian women’s team is showing their quality at the tournament. Defeating Pakistan 3-0 in the opener and then demolishing Maldives 9-0 in the second game has sent a huge statement of intent. There is a fierce focus on defending the title and winning the SAFF Women’s Championship for the sixth time in a row. Winning the upcoming game and finishing as group leaders will be the immediate objective that Suren Chhetri’s team will look to achieve. 

Bangladesh is into the knockouts and may rest some key players ahead of this game. However, the outfit could see the upcoming clash as a chance to cause a huge upset too, especially after an impressive 6-0 win against Pakistan in their recent outing. The main aim of the team will be to keep the score respectable, considering the humiliation Blue Tigresses caused to Maldives in the previous game.  

Head-to-head

India and Bangladesh have locked horns seven times across all competitions. The Blue Tigresses have emerged victorious six times. Meanwhile, Bangladesh have defeated their neighbours only once.

Probable Lineups

India: Aditi Chauhan (GK), Ritu, Ashalata Devi, Manisa Panna, Ranjana Chanu, Priyangka Devi, Ratanbala Devi, Anju Tamang, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Renu, Dangmei Grace.

Bangladesh: Rupna Chakma (GK), Sheuli Azim, Shamsunnahar, M. Akhi Khatun, Masura Parvin, Monika Chakma, Sanjida Akhter, Maria Manda, Srimoti Sarkar, Mosammat Shopna, Sabina Khatun.

Players to Watch

Anju Tamang (India)

The attacking midfielder was in sensational form against the Maldives. She scored four goals in a 9-0 win that was indicative of India’s quality in the attacking department. The 26-year-old is a midfield maestro who is technically strong and uses the ball according to her will. 

Leaving her unattended would be a grave mistake on Bangladesh’s part. Her chemistry with Dangmei Grace is very threatening, one that can produce scoring opportunities out of nothing.

Sabina Khatun (Bangladesh)

Sabina Khatun is the captain of the Bangladesh women’s football team and one of their most influential players in the line-up. She netted a fabulous hat-trick against Pakistan in a 6-0 victory in the last match. The forward also scored a brace against Maldives in a 3-0 win, which takes her tally to five goals in the tournament. 

She is currently the leading goal-scorer of the tournament and will hope to perform the same against India too. The Blue Tigresses will need to be wary of the threat she poses.

Did you know?

• Sabina Khatun holds the record for most international goals for Bangladesh (26).
• Anju Tamang won the Indian Women’s League 2017-18 with the Rising Student Club.
• India (58) is the highest FIFA-ranked team in the tournament.

Telecast

The match will kick off at 5:15 pm IST at the Dasarath Stadium in Nepal. Live streaming of the game will be available on Eleven Sports.