ANISUR RAHMAN from Margao

Bangladesh may have missed out on a third successive SAFF Women’s Championship title after a 3-1 defeat to India in the final at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao on Friday night, but coach Peter Butler insisted the scoreline failed to reflect the true nature of the contest.

The British coach praised his players for their performance and commitment, arguing that Bangladesh were the better side for significant periods of the match.

“Honestly speaking, I thought the scoreline was not a true reflection of the way the game went. I thought we were the better team for long periods. I am really proud of the girls, the way they’ve conducted themselves and applied themselves,” Butler said at the post-match press conference.

After underwhelming displays against India in the group stage and Nepal in the semifinal, Bangladesh played with confidence in the final, moving the ball crisply, pressing aggressively and creating openings in attack during the early stages.

Although India took the lead, Bangladesh responded well and levelled the score through Ritu Porna Chakma before halftime. However, a drop in intensity after the break proved costly as India struck early in the second half before adding a third goal late on.

“I thought the first goal was a fluke; we just got caught. But we came back into the match,” Butler said. “Then we conceded the second goal straight after halftime -- after just one minute and four seconds. The third goal came when we were pushing and probing for an equaliser. We had a great chance, but it is what it is.”

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Butler was encouraged by the performances of several younger players.

“It was disappointing, of course, but I was really pleased with the way the girls played, especially some of the younger players,” he said.

The 59-year-old also noted that inconsistency had been a feature of the tournament for several teams, not just Bangladesh.

“It’s been a bit of an up-and-down tournament, not just for us but for others as well. We don’t think we deserved that tonight. I think a lot of people would admit that. I thought we were better than India for long periods of the game.”

Butler identified the injury-forced departure of Anika Siddiqui as a key turning point.

“I thought the main turning point was when Anika went off injured. She was doing a really great job. I decided to play her as a No. 10 rather than a No. 9, and she played really well,” he said.

He also reserved praise for Ritu Porna Chakma and Maria Manda, but cautioned that some players were approaching the twilight of their careers. “They’re either going to fight or we have to look for replacements,” Butler said.

With his contract set to expire in December, Butler remained non-committal about his future. The coach said he believes he has “done a good job” during his tenure, but added that he would need time to consider “where his future lies” after Bangladesh’s campaign ended in heartbreak despite a performance he felt deserved a better outcome.