Thinley Namgay   

Bhutan’s national women’s football team will play the semifinals against Bangladesh tomorrow in the ongoing SAFF Women’s Championship 2022 in Nepal at 1: 45pm (BST).

This will be the first time the women’s team will be playing in the semifinals of such an important regional tournament.

On the same day, India and Nepal will also play the other semifinal.

Throughout the league round, Bangladesh has been the dominant team.

In group A, Bangladesh grabbed nine points winning all three games, followed by India with six points. On September 13, Bangladesh defeated the reigning champions India 3-0.

From group B, Nepal has six points and Bhutan three.

Bangladesh and Nepal have maintained a clean sheet in the league.

Fans say it would be challenging for Bangladesh to overpower Bhutan in the semifinal as Bhutan has a competent squad and has displayed a good performance in the last two games.

Despite losing to Nepal 4-0, Bhutan won against Sri Lanka 5-0 in the league.

Bhutan lost to Bangladesh 2-0 in the 2019 SAFF championship.

Bhutan’s captain, Pema Choden Tshering, said: “We are preparing with our minds always set on the game.”

She said that there is a bit of pressure as the team made it to the semifinals for the first time. “But the team is responding proactively to the pressure, training hard, staying focused, getting enough rest, and drinking plenty of water.”

Pema Choden Tshering said that Bangladesh will face a good fight.

The tournament ends on September 19.