Defying the odds against a team ranked 73 places higher in the FIFA rankings, the Bangladesh national women’s football team has moved to the brink of history with a remarkable victory over Myanmar in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.
On Wednesday (July 2), at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon, the spirited Bangladesh side stunned the home crowd by defeating Myanmar 2-1, with Rituparna Chakma emerging as the hero of the match by scoring both goals.
Bangladesh had already signalled their intent in the opening match of the qualifiers by thrashing Bahrain—ranked 36 places above them—showcasing their growing confidence on the continental stage.
With this latest win, the Sabina-Krishna-led team now finds itself within touching distance of qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final round for the first time in history. Bangladesh sits comfortably at the top of the group table with six points from two matches and enjoys a healthy goal difference over their rivals, Myanmar and Bahrain.
Only one hurdle remains: their final group match against Turkmenistan. A draw in that match will be enough to secure a historic ticket to the main round. Even in the event of a loss, Bangladesh could still qualify, depending on the outcome of the match between Myanmar and Bahrain.
The victory has sparked a wave of optimism among football fans back home, with many seeing this as a potentially transformative moment for women’s football in Bangladesh—one that could inspire a new era of success and recognition for female athletes in the country.
