Bangladesh women's team defeated by UAE

Bangladesh women's football has been through a turbulent period for quite some time. Eighteen players rebelled against coach Peter Butler, bringing various allegations against him. Although the crisis was resolved after 16 days, it led to significant changes in the team.

The squad for the UAE tour was formed without 10 of the rebel players. However, the new team did not have a good start, as Afida, Rita, and their teammates could not make a mark on their return to international football after four months.

In the first friendly match, the Bangladesh women's team left the field with a defeat. On Wednesday, at the UAE Association ground, Bangladesh lost 3-1 to the hosts. Afida Khandaker scored the only goal for Bangladesh. With regular national team captain Sabina Khatun absent from the squad due to the rebellion, Afida led the team on this tour.

Bangladesh fell behind early in the match. The UAE found the back of the net twice in quick succession. Bangladesh reduced the deficit in the first half, with Afida scoring from a spot kick. Bangladesh ended the first half trailing 2-1. They could not find the net in the second half and conceded another goal, resulting in a heavy defeat. The second friendly against the UAE is scheduled for 2nd March.

In October last year, Bangladesh's women clinched their second consecutive SAFF Championship by defeating Nepal. Since then, the players had been away from the field. During the SAFF tournament, the dispute between the coach and senior players escalated significantly. Several more players joined the seniors, and 18 players boycotted practice, levelling a host of allegations against Butler. They even threatened mass retirement if the coach was not removed.

Despite various measures by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), the situation remained unresolved. The football governing body could not end the rebellion despite holding meeting after meeting. Finally, on 16th February, there was some progress. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, head of BFF's women's wing, announced that the rebel players had agreed to return to training under Butler. A few days later, the squad was announced, with eight members of the SAFF-winning team included.

During the rebellion, Butler also made his stance clear. The English coach firmly declared his final decision not to include the rebel players in the squad. He even stated, "It's either them or me." Butler asserted that if specific individuals remained, he would not coach the team. He also declared that the new squad represented the future of Bangladesh football. However, the disappointing start with the new team must have been a setback for him.