‘A unique strength working within us’

After leading the national team in 14 matches, Bangladesh defender Afeida Khandaker lost both the captaincy and her place in the starting XI during the ongoing SAFF Women’s Championship in Goa. However, the 20-year-old responded with a composed display on her return in the semifinal against Nepal, helping her side move within one win of a third consecutive SAFF title. Speaking to The Daily Star’s Anisur Rahman, Afeida reflects on her return to the side, the captaincy change, the team’s dip in form, coping with personal tragedy in the camp, and the challenge of facing India in Saturday’s final. Excerpts follow:

The Daily Star (DS): How relieved are you to book a third straight final?

Afeida Khandaker (AK): Since progressing to the final, a unique strength is working within the team now. The pressure was immense; if the two-time defending champions failed to reach the final, how would that look? Securing our spot was the absolute priority.

DS: The Nepal hurdle must have been challenging, coming off a 3-0 loss to India and amid the grieving atmosphere in the camp.

AK: It was incredibly challenging. Nepal were finalists in the last two editions and highly motivated. For us, it was a must-win situation. It was a fiercely fought contest -- we conceded the opening goal, fought back, and found a stoppage-time winner. Our biggest asset was our mindset.

The tragic news about Sheuli Azim’s mother passing away arrived just the day before, so we stepped onto the pitch intent on turning our collective grief into strength. Fortunately, we accomplished that.

DS: Did you feel you had a point to prove after returning to the starting XI?

AK: Yes, absolutely. A player won't always perform at their best; there will be down periods and mistakes to learn from. Since I got the opportunity on Wednesday, I tried my best to rectify previous errors and put in a much better performance.

DS: You've been a resilient defensive anchor in the past. Have you been doing some soul-searching amid the heavy media scrutiny?

AK: Everyone experiences ups and downs. There are many players in our team who do not consistently perform, but they are not scrutinised. It seems people only talk about me. I don't know everything about football; I am still learning, game by game ... and there is no end to learning. My focus is simply on not repeating past errors. You cannot become a great player in a single day.

DS: Before departing for camp, you briefed the media as captain, but Maria Manda replaced you for the tournament. Was there any bitterness over losing the armband?

AK: No, there is no pain in losing the captaincy. I am a player first, [and] that is what matters most. The coach did what he felt was best for the unit. One person holds the title, but all eleven players on the pitch must give their best. Captaincy was never a big deal to me .. My primary goal is just to play well for my country.

DS: With the backline appearing to struggle at times, which tactical areas need immediate attention before the final?

AK: If the backline blocks 18 out of 20 dangerous balls but fails to stop two, everyone blames the defenders or goalkeeper. Yet no one mentions it when the forwards get 20 chances, miss 18, and score only two.

Honestly, our midfield needs the most improvement to shield us. When the forwards don't press effectively from the front, opponents play out easily. If our midfield cannot control the game or win second balls against India, they will dominate possession and place our defence under immense pressure.

DS: Why haven't Bangladesh replicated the dominant standard of previous editions?

AK: This is not the exact same squad that played previous tournaments; there have been several changes. A bit of a gap is natural because junior players are being given opportunities, and they are providing as much support as they can. For some reason, we haven't found our natural rhythm on the pitch yet, but we are putting that aside now to focus entirely on the final.