Japan match ‘a big learning experience’ for Sabina & Co

Bangladesh women's football team captain Sabina Khatun thinks comparing them with Japan after their 8-0 defeat against the former world champions in their debut Asian Games appearance will be wrong.

"Japan are one of the best sides in the world and today [Saturday] their No. 1 side thrashed Argentina 8-0 too.

"If people start comparing us with Japan, it will be foolish. Those who understand football accept the difference between the two sides," said the captain on Saturday.

Sabina felt the margin of defeat could have been less had they not made some silly mistakes.

"We conceded a couple of goals due to silly mistakes but the way they play, the level of their fitness, the speed they have can't be compared with us," said Sabina.

"If you compare the facilities to world's top teams, we don't have anything to mention. Even though the round-the-year training camp is a good thing, there is no alternative to playing matches," Sabina said. "Even if you train round the year, there will be no development unless you play matches."

"If we got the opportunity to play two to three matches against big teams before the Asian Games, our experience against Japan could have been a bit better and we might have conceded less goals.

"We needed this match against Japan. If we can play against such top teams, we can understand our level and our standard will improve," said the footballer from Satkhira.

The Bashundhara Kings forward also felt that the Japan match was the biggest experience of her 13-year career while her teammates have big things to take from this match.

"There is everything to take from this match because every second and every minute was a learning experience for us. We learned that the passes, crosses and other aspects of their game are unique and that is why they are former world champions," Sabina said, adding that the experience against Japan would help them in future as well as on Monday against Vietnam.

"Vietnam also played in the World Cup recently and we will try to do better against them. I believe we can offer them a good fight," concluded the Bangladesh captain.