The final day of the AFC Women’s U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers arrives Sunday, August 10, with 16 matches set to take place across eight venues. The results will determine the fate of 11 teams –eight group winners and the three best runners-up will advance to the final round.
All eyes are on Bangladesh, who are facing powerhouse South Korea in a decisive showdown at 3:00pm. A draw will be enough for Bangladesh to make history by qualifying for their first-ever U-20 Women’s Asian Cup.
South Korea, ranked 83 places above Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings, were widely tipped to top Group H. But in a stunning turn of events, the young Bangladeshi side has outperformed expectations, winning both of their opening matches against Laos and Timor-Leste – and now sit top of the group, ahead of South Korea on goal count.
This remarkable achievement has brought the team to the brink of something even greater. Under the captaincy of Afida Khandaker, Bangladesh stands on the verge of creating another historic milestone.
Both teams currently have six points and an identical goal difference of +8. Bangladesh leads the group solely by virtue of having scored one more goal than South Korea. That single goal could now prove decisive in securing qualification.
If Bangladesh can hold South Korea to a draw this afternoon, they will qualify not as one of the best runners-up, but as group champions – a far more prestigious route to the finals.
The senior women’s team made headlines earlier by qualifying for the senior AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time. Now, the U-20 side has a chance to match, and possibly surpass, that achievement.
Before the tournament, the best hope was that Bangladesh might scrape through as one of the best runners-up, provided they won their first two games and lost narrowly to South Korea. But the team has exceeded all expectations and now aims to qualify on merit as group winners.
All they need is one point.
A draw today won’t just secure qualification – it will cement 2025 as a landmark year for Bangladeshi women’s football, proving that with determination and unity, even the tallest challenges can be overcome.