I was aiming for goal: Ritu Porna affirms about wonder strike

In the 2022 edition of the SAFF Women's Championship, Ritu Porna Chakma came off the bench in all five of Bangladesh's matches and played mostly a secondary role in the country's maiden triumph at the regional football extravaganza.

But in 2024, Ritu was no longer at the backseat as the girl from Rangamati started in each of Bangladesh's four matches, made an impact in every game and scored one of the most memorable goals in the country's football history in the final against Nepal to seal back-to-back SAFF titles for the girls.

Her amazing left-footed strike that gave Bangladesh the decisive 2-1 lead was the talk of the final. The packed crowd at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu were left stunned and millions of TV viewers were perhaps in momentary disbelief after seeing Ritu curl the ball into the goal from such a tight angle.

There were doubts whether Ritu had actually intended to go for goal or if she was trying to whip a cross but miscued it and the ball just curled away from the Nepal goalkeeper's reach and ended up in the back of the net.

Only Ritu can tell what her real intention was and the Dhaka University student cleared up all confusion yesterday by stating she was indeed going for goal.

"I just raised my head to see the Nepal post and then I took the shot for goal," Ritu told the reporters at the BFF House yesterday.

"I could not believe it myself but I was really happy to have struck the goal in that moment. I have since watched my goal more than 100 times."

Ritu hogged all spotlight throughout the tournament with her speed, skill and neat crossing from the left flank and was deservedly named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.

"I never thought I would be the best player of this edition because I played the last edition as a substitute player," said the former BKSP player, who also assisted Shamsunnahar Jr to level the margin against Pakistan in the stoppage time of Bangladesh's tournament opener.

Ritu also assisted her teammates in the 3-1 win over India and scored one and assisted one in the semifinal against Bhutan.

"The tournament was more competitive this time than the last edition. Every match, whether it was against Pakistan, India, Bhutan or Nepal, was tough," Ritu said. "We played our hearts out against India and the belief we gained from there gave us the courage to fight against Nepal."

"Everything – venue, crowd, environment – was in Nepal's favour in the final and the final was not easy for us because we knew that we had to fight against all adversities. But we were confident about winning."

After the triumph in 2022, Ritu was promised by a government high up that she would be handed a piece of land in Moghachori village under Ghagra Union of Rangamati to build a house.

Yesterday, in-between talking about her wonder goal and the team's incredible triumph, Ritu also revealed she never received that promised land, giving a solemn reminder of how easily promises made to sportspersons' get forgotten in this country.