Bangladesh women's hockey team makes history, qualifies for Asian Games

Bangladesh women's hockey team has achieved a historic milestone by securing qualification for the main round of the upcoming Asian Games . In their final group match of the qualifiers, the debutant side defeated Hong Kong China 2-1 to book their place in the tournament.

The match at Jakarta's GBK Hockey Stadium saw Bangladesh fall behind early, with Hong Kong scoring in the opening minute . However, the Tigresses showed remarkable composure under pressure. In the 10th minute, midfielder Nadira Ema levelled the score with a superb field goal . The decisive moment came in the 39th minute when Kona Akter converted a field goal to put Bangladesh ahead, a lead they defended successfully until the final whistle.

The victory secured not only qualification for the semi-finals of the qualifying tournament but also one of the six available spots for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled for September-October this year.

This success caps a remarkable debut campaign for Bangladesh, who only formed their senior women's national team earlier this year . The side began their qualifying journey with a thrilling 5-5 draw against Chinese Taipei, followed by a 3-2 win over Uzbekistan . With seven points from three matches, they topped their group.

The team, largely composed of players from Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP), has been training since February under coach Zahid Hossain Raju . This qualification marks the first time Bangladesh will be represented by both a men's and women's hockey team at the Asian Games.