Spirited Bangladesh dare to defy North Korea

After going toe to toe against defending champions China in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 opener, Bangladesh are set to face another tournament favourites in North Korea in their second Group B match at the Western Sydney Stadium in Australia on Friday, eyeing another bold showing.

Bangladesh, ranked 112th in the FIFA rankings, surpassed all expectations in their 2-0 defeat against China, but will arguably face an even tougher test against North Korea, currently ranked 9th in the world.

The three-time Asian Cup champions had recently clinched the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 and five players from that squad have been added in the Asian Cup contingent.

Bangladesh coach Peter Butler termed North Korea as the technically superior team but said his charges will not back down.

“We are here again to face a very strong North Korea. They are technically gifted, well-supported, and well-funded. Based on their FIFA ranking, they are likely one of the favorites for the tournament. It is going to be a tall order to win, and we are under no illusions about that,” said Butler at a pre-match conference in Sydney.

“However, it is about giving the best of oneself and being authentic. We won't be sitting back and parking the bus; we're going to have a go. We hope to win over the hearts and minds of the supporters, just as we did with the Chinese fans the other night,” said the English coach.

Against China, Bangladesh kept a cleansheet for the first 43 minutes and did not concede in the second half. However, two goals inside three minutes late in the first half decided the fate of the contest.

Butler was aware that a similar lapse against North Korea, who began their campaign with an easy 3-0 win over Uzbekistan, could also cost them dearly.

“Against teams like North Korea and China, they can hurt you in an instant, so you must track runners and stay on your feet. It’s about finding that fine balance between being solid defensively and maintaining an offensive mindset.”

Afeida Khandaker and Co impressed many with their spirited showing against China, including North Korean coach Ri Song-Ho, who is especially wary about Bangladesh’s speed.

“I watched the China versus Bangladesh match, and I feel Bangladesh is much stronger than I expected. For example, their attack is very fast, and their speed and skill in transitioning from defense to attack are quite sharp. Generally speaking, they are a very speedy team. So, our defense needs to be more focused to ensure they [Bangladesh] don't get any scoring chances,” said Korean coach.