DHAKA, Dec 30, 2022 (BSS)- It's undoubtedly a memorable year for Bangladesh women's football team in the history of women’s football when  the  girls made the nation proud by lifting the maiden SAFF Women's Championship trophy in Nepal.

It was Bangladesh’s second attempt in SAFF after 2016, beating four times runners up and hosts Nepal by 3-1 in the final match of the Championship held in September this year at Dashrath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu.

The victory crowned Bangladesh the champions in South Asian women's football for the first time in the sixth edition, ending India's reign of five successive titles.

Although Bangladesh had won age-level tournaments in women's in South Asian football, but this was the first time the tigresses won the title at senior level.

On the way to the final, Bangladesh beat Maldives 3-0, Pakistan 6-0, India 3-0 in group phase matches, thrashed Bhutan 8-0 in the semifinal and hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final, scoring a total of 23 goals and conceded only one in the final.

Not only that  Bangladesh women’s football team. also won all the prizes  of the tournament as goal-machine Sabina Khatun was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

Sabina, who scored two hat-tricks -- first against Pakistan in the group stage and the second one against Bhutan in the first semifinal – also received the highest scorer award. She netted a total of eight goals in the tournament.

Bangladesh custodian Rupna Chakma, who conceded only a lone goal throughout the tournament, was given the best goalkeeper award for her impressive performance under the bar.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh received the fair play trophy award in that tournament.
Meanwhile, in the domestic football, Bashundhara Kings, the top-flight football club of the country, also achieved the success of winning the hat-trick title of prestigious Bangladesh Premier League.

Hockey

Country’s hockey entered a new era when the maiden Hockey Champions Trophy introduced this year.

Acme Chattogram emerged as the champions of the inaugural franchise hockey league, Hockey Champions Trophy, after beating Monarch Mart Padma in a thrilling final held at Maulana Bhashani Stadium.

The score line was locked 2-2 at the regulation time and Chattogram won the shootout 4-3 to lift the maiden title.

Six teams -- Acme Chattogram, Metro Express Barisal, Monarch Mart Padma, Rupayan City Cumilla, Saif Powertec Group Khulna and Walton Dhaka – took part in the tournament, which organized by Bangladesh Hockey Federation.

Table Tennis

Bangladesh has made history by winning gold for the first time in this year's South Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championship held in May.

Bangladesh won the gold medal by defeating Sri Lanka inthe final of the event held in Male, the capital of Maldives.

Archery

The 5th Islamic Solidarity Games held in Konya Turkey this year. A total of 55 countries took part in the games. Bangladesh won three medals from the Games.

In the Bangladesh compound women’s team Roksana Akter, Shamoli Ray and Puspita Zaman won silver medal as they lost to the Turkey team comprised of Bostan Ucar Yesim, Suzer Ayse Bera and Yildir Sevim in the final by 222–229 points.

In the recurve women’s team Diya Siddique, Nasrin Akter and Beauty Ray secured bronze for Bangladesh after a 6-2 set points victory against Uzbekistan’s Abdusattorova Ziyodakhon, Abdusattorova Zebiniso and Hamroeva Nilufar in the bronze medal deciding match.

Bangladesh recurve men’s team featuring Ruman Shana, Hakim Ahmed Rubel and Sagor Islam won bronze medal beating Saudi Arabia’s Almusa Abdulrahman, Alsubaie Rashed and Alwi Mansour by 6-0 set points in the bronze medal-deciding match.