Himal Press 
Match Facts: Nepal vs Bangladesh Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Dasharath Stadium
KATHMANDU: Nepal will aim to make history as it faces Bangladesh in the final of the 2024 SAFF Women’s Championship at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
Nepal has yet to claim the biggest trophy in South Asian women’s football, despite reaching the final a record sixth time. The only time Nepal missed the final was in 2016 when India hosted the event.
This marks Nepal’s sixth appearance in the seven SAFF Women’s Championship editions held so far. India has reached five finals, winning each time. Nepal, however, has been runners-up on five occasions and hopes to finally lift the title in its sixth attempt on Wednesday.
In the last SAFF Championship final in 2022, Nepal lost 1-3 to Bangladesh on home soil.
This is Bangladesh’s third appearance in a SAFF Women’s Championship final. It lost to India in the 2016 final.
Despite a slow start in the 2024 tournament, Bangladesh comes into the final in top form. After an injury-time goal salvaged a draw against Pakistan in the group stage, Bangladesh stunned India 3-1 in its next match, finishing as group winner. It then powered past Bhutan, a strong contender in the group stage, with a 7-1 victory in the semifinal.
Nepal began the group stage with a goalless draw against Bhutan but then dominated with an 11-0 victory over the Maldives and a 6-0 win against Sri Lanka, advancing to the final as the group champion. In the semifinal, Nepal defeated five-time champions India 4-2 in a penalty shootout after regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw, a match marked by lengthy stoppages.
Nepal and Bangladesh have faced each other four times in SAFF Championships, with Nepal winning three times. The only loss was in the 2022 final.
What do the captains say?
Anijla Tumbapo Subba (Nepal): We don’t have a sense of revenge against Bangladesh. We lost then (in the 2022 final) due to our own weaknesses, and that’s now a part of history. Right now, the team’s morale is high. There is unity within the team. This time, we will win.
Sabina Khatun (Bangladesh): We’re not afraid of the home supporters. There are some new players in the team who might feel nervous, but the team is ready for this challenge.
