Bangladesh women's football team head coach Peter Butler has fiercely defended his tactical approach, declaring he would rather quit than change his attack-minded philosophy, following his side’s 4-2 win over the Maldives in their opening match of the SAFF Women’s Championship in Goa yesterday.

Defending champions Bangladesh made a winning start to their SAFF Women’s Championship campaign, beating Maldives 4-2 in their opening match of the tournament at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, India, today.

Adding a touch of warmth to an otherwise empty stadium atmosphere, a small group of Russian supporters turned up at the stadium carrying a white banner that simply read ‘Bangladesh’, with the two ‘A’s painted as love signs.

Head coach Peter Butler brought three changes to the playing eleven that last featured in the Women’s Asian Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan in Australia last March.

Mehedi said delays in obtaining an Indian visa prevented him from joining the squad earlier.

Bangladesh women’s team head coach Peter Butler confirmed on Wednesday that goalkeeper Mili Akter has recovered from injury and will start against Maldives in their opening match of the SAFF Women’s Championship on Thursday.

Bangladesh are targeting a historic third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship title, with the squad united around the ambition despite rising competition in the region.

The curtain rises on the eighth edition of the SAFF Women’s Championship at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Monday, with two-time defending champions Bangladesh eyeing a hattrick of titles.

The women in red and green have been in training since the conclusion of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the AFC Women’s U-20 Asian Cup.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, the players expressed their frustration over what they see as neglect from BFF.

SAFF Championship winning coach Peter Butler will stay on, for the time being, as the head coach of Bangladesh national women’s football team, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s (BFF) women’s wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron.

The SAFF Women's Championship success could not have come at a better time for Bangladesh, a nation divided along many lines and one that is trying to recalibrate its identity following a major shake-up in its socio-political landscape.

Bangladesh national women’s football team’s outgoing head coach Peter Butler said he has delivered on the promise of bringing the SAFF Women’s Championship title home.

Prior to Bangladesh team's departure for Nepal for the SAFF Women's Championship, there was much hullabaloo over the absence of self-exiled forward Sirat Jahan Swapna, who had made a tremendous contribution to the team's regional title with four goals in 2022.

Tohura Khatun scored a hattrick while skipper Sabina Khatun bagged a brace as defending champions Bangladesh stormed into the final of the SAFF Women's Championship with a 7-1 win against Bhutan in Kathmandu today. 

Bangladesh will start their campaign by taking on Pakistan in a Group A encounter on October 20 before facing five-time champions India in the group’s second and final match on October 23, after the seven-team tournament gets underway on October 17 in Kathmandu.

Holders Bangladesh are set to leave for Nepal on October 15.

The women in red and green will fly out to Thimphu on July 8 and will be in action on July 11 and 14, before returning home on July 15.

Bangladesh had won the women's title of the regional football tournament for the first time after beating hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final of the last edition, which took place in Kathmandu in September 2022.

The regional women's football extravaganza will be held from October 17-30 at Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu.