Bangladesh U-15 girls football team made the nation proud as they won the inaugural edition of SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship with a solitary goal victory over India in the final today at Birshestha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium.
In the day’s match, Winger Shamsunnahar scored the decisive goal for the Bangladesh team in the 41st minute with a gentle tap from the close range after Anuching’s powerful shot came to her way hitting the leg of Indian custodian Monika Devi (1-0), reports BSS.
This is the first South Asian title for Bangladesh in women’s football. The girls, who blanked India 3-0 in a league stage match, wasted a number of opportunities while India had pulled their game a few notches up from that defeat.
The host got the first scoring chance in the 22nd minute. Taking a pass from Maria Manda, Anuching Mogini ran down into the D-Box but she failed to dodge the helpless Indian custodian Monika under the bar.
Tahura Khatun must consider herself as unlucky as her well-judge angular shot from the vantage position narrowly went out of play besides the second bar in the 32nd minute.
This remarkable triumph ensured a fourth consecutive victory for the girls in red and green over the same opposition, carrying on from two victories in the AFC U-14 Girls’ Regional Championship last year.
Bangladesh had won the group stage match 3-1 before winning the final 4-0 against India in that competition in Tajikistan last year.
Earlier, Bangladesh got off to a winning start in the tournament as they thrashed Nepal 6-0 in their opening game and then blanked Bhutan 3-0 in their second fixture of the regional age-group championship.
The girls’ in red and green maintained their all-win record as they beat India by 3-0 goals in their third league phase match.
On the other hand, India blanked Bhutan by 3-0 goals in their opening match and blew away Nepal by 10-0 goals in their second match before they suffered a 0-3 goal defeat to host Bangladesh in their third league phase match.
