Bangladesh upbeat ahead of India clash

The Bangladesh women's football team appeared relaxed and confident on the eve of Sunday's crucial SAFF Women's Championship clash against India, with smiles replacing the tense mood that had surrounded the squad over the previous two days.

Under bright sunshine at the Don Bosco Engineering Institute Ground in Goa yesterday morning, players joked with one another during training and shared light-hearted moments with fitness trainer Cameron Nicholas Lord during warm-up drills.

The upbeat atmosphere reflected a side carrying little fear despite facing one of the tournament favourites. Bangladesh have already secured a place in the semifinals and will also draw confidence from having beaten India 3-0 and 3-1 in their last two meetings, in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

The match will kick off at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa at 8:00pm Bangladesh time.

Head coach Peter Butler also appeared relaxed but stressed that his side would be well prepared for the challenge.

"It gives us an opportunity to get more game time and show where we are as a team," Butler said after a nearly 90-minute training session. "We have a lot of young players coming through and putting pressure on places in the team. We want to go out and play good football."

The British coach revealed that the team had worked on different tactical options ahead of the encounter.

"We've worked on a few things this morning -- plan A, plan B, whatever you want to call it. We're playing a strong team, so we'll do our homework and prepare accordingly."

He also hinted at changes to the starting eleven, confirming that Monika Chakma would return to the side while backing winger Ritu Porna Chakma to bounce back after a quiet outing against the Maldives.

"Ritu had an off day, and that happens," Butler said. "For me, she's one of the best wingers in South Asia. She's young, has tremendous potential and great ability. It's about bringing your A-game. I enjoy working with her. It's also good to have Monika back."

With both teams already through to the semifinals, Sunday's Group B decider carries added significance. The winner is likely to avoid a semifinal meeting with a strong Nepal side, making the contest important despite qualification already being secured.

India, meanwhile, arrive as a more balanced side than the one Bangladesh defeated in 2024 and have shown encouraging progress in recent international competitions.

Still, Butler believes his side possess enough quality to trouble their rivals.

"We're a completely different team and we play better football," he said. "We have match-winners in the squad. We can defend when we need to, create chances and go past players. Sometimes it's simply about taking those chances."

Bangladesh also received a boost with Indian forward Manisha Kalyan unavailable for Sunday's match, with the Peru-based attacker set to join the squad on June 1.