Bangladesh triumphantly shut out East Timor 8-0 in the U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Bangladesh U-20 Women's Team Secures Historic Qualification for AFC Asian Cup
The Bangladesh U-20 women's football team has made history by qualifying for the AFC Women's U-20 Asian Cup final tournament for the first time. This milestone was achieved by winning two out of three group matches in the qualifiers held in Laos.
In Group H, the team secured two consecutive wins against Laos (3-1) and Timor-Leste (8-0), but suffered a defeat against group winners South Korea (6-1). Despite this loss, Bangladesh finished as one of the three best runners-up, securing a place in the 12-team final tournament to be held in Thailand in 2026.
The team's impressive performance in the qualifiers was marked by individual standout moments. Trishna Rani scored a hat-trick in the match, with her goals coming in the 20th, 57th, and 82nd minutes. Sinha Jahan Shikha, Shanti Mardi, Nabiran Khatun, Munki Akter, and Mosammat Sagarika also contributed to the team's success by scoring one goal each. Khatun scored the third goal in the 36th minute, Munki scored the eighth goal just before the final whistle, Sagarika scored the sixth goal in the 73rd minute, and Mardi scored the second goal in the 33rd minute.
The team's standout performance in the qualifiers was a testament to their promising form. Earlier this year, they won the 2025 SAFF U-20 Women's Championship with six wins from six matches, indicating a strong regional presence.
With the qualifiers now complete, the team has no upcoming matches for the qualifiers. They will focus on their final group stage match next Sunday against South Korea. Finishing second in Group H keeps the hopes alive for the team as they aim to make a mark in the main tournament.
If successful in the U-20 qualifiers in Laos, the Bangladesh U-20 women's team will write their own history by participating in the AFC Women's U-20 Asian Cup final tournament. This marks a historic milestone for Bangladesh’s U-20 women’s team in continental football.
| Aspect | Details | |--------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Group in AFC Qualifiers | Group H | | Matches played in qualifiers | 3 (W vs Laos, W vs Timor-Leste, L vs South Korea) | | Result | Qualified as one of the three best runners-up | | Upcoming matches | None for qualifiers; final tournament in Thailand, 2026 | | Final tournament participants | 12 teams including Bangladesh and host Thailand |
The Bangladesh U-20 women's team showed impressive skill in football during the AFC Qualifiers, securing a spot in the Group H matches by winning against Laos and Timor-Leste. Despite a defeat against South Korea, the team's performance was remarkable enough to qualify for the AFC Women's U-20 Asian Cup final tournament, a first in their history.
