Bangladesh triumphantly secures Asian Cup qualification, dominating Turkmenistan with a thrilling 7-0 victory.
In a thrilling display of women's football, Bangladesh clinched a berth for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup with a resounding 7-0 victory over Turkmenistan at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon.
The match began on a high note for Bangladesh, with Sapna Rani Mondal scoring the opening goal in the third minute. What followed was a series of impressive attacks, culminating in Ritu Porna's first goal in the 18th minute, a calamity for Turkmenistan as their goalkeeper let the ball slip through her hands.
The next 20 minutes saw a 17-minute blitzkrieg during which Bangladesh scored five more goals. Ritu Porna, Shamsunnahar Jr, Monika Chakma, Tohura Khatun, and Ritu Porna Chakma were the scorers in this impressive run.
However, the second half proved to be a more challenging period for Bangladesh. Ritu Porna and Sapna Rani were subbed off early, making it difficult for Bangladesh to find another breakthrough. Despite a 20-minute lull, the substitute goalkeeper improved her performance, ensuring the scoreline remained unchanged.
Despite their second-half improvement, Turkmenistan could not prevent the inevitable defeat, ending the match with a 7-0 scoreline. After the final whistle, Bangladesh began their long-awaited celebrations, content with their resounding victory.
This win marks at least two consecutive victories for Bangladesh in the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers. While the exact scorelines of their previous wins are not specified, the 2-1 win over Myanmar on July 2, 2025, was a significant milestone in their journey.
Unfortunately, the men's team failed to secure wins in the 2023 Asian Cup qualification under coach Javier Cabrera. As for the largest victory margin reported, the available search results do not specify a particularly large victory margin during these qualifiers, with the 2-1 win against Myanmar being the most significant.
As Bangladesh continues their journey towards the Asian Cup, they will aim to build on this impressive form and strive for even greater success in the upcoming matches.
Ritu Porna, the scorer of two goals in the match, aiming to continue her impressive form in future football matches. The men's team, currently in the 2023 Asian Cup qualification, will look to learn from their previous losses and emulate the success achieved by the women's team in sports.
