Japan, January 26: Bangladesh U16 girls turned on the heat against Sakai Academy in the chilly afternoon in Osaka beating the team 2-1.

Sirat Jahan Shopna was the first to score on the 24th minute and Mishrat Jahan Moushumi put the Red and Greens ahead on the 35th minute as Sakai had equalised on the 30th minute.

The girls took the field for their only friendly match before the J Green Sakai tournament scheduled from January 28.

The 70-minute match had an exciting but goalless second half.

Head coach Golam Rabbani Choton, who is travelling with the team said before the match that his crop of youngsters were keen to make full use of the opportunity.

Just before the match at Sakai Academy on the fringes of Japan’s second largest city Osaka, Choton said, “We are all looking forward to the match.”

About to take the field on a chilly afternoon (about 7 degree Celsius), the head coach, who has also overseen the national women’s side’s performance at the SAFF games, said this was another chapter of players’ development, playing against such a top footballing nation. “I am so proud we got such an opportunity.

As the girls finished the match with a fantastic win, a satisfied head coach Choton said they were rather apprehensive after the Thai U16 team lost to Sakai Academy 10-0 earlier in the day. But it ended well, he said. “The girls put in their utmost effort and won the match for us.”

He said this match was very instructive. “We learned a lot and this will add to our experience.”

The U16 team reached Osaka, a commercial hub and port, on the night of January 25.

The girls are scheduled to play three matches on January 28 and another one the next day.

A total of 20 teams including one team each from Bangladesh and Thailand, split into four groups, will be playing 40-minute length group matches before playing against the opponents of the three other groups on the basis of group standing.