Bangladesh girls started the tournament with a win against hosts Nepal in the SAFF U-16 Women’s Championship. Saiful Bari Titu’s team beat hosts Nepal 2-0 in their first match on Saturday (March 2).
Bangladesh dominated the first half of the match at the Chiashal Stadium in Kathmandu. The highline defense tended to hold the hosts from the start. Bangladesh squandered a good chance in the 5th minute of the match. Alfie Akhter’s cross from a teammate could not put the team ahead.
In the 15th minute, bad luck for Saifur Bari Titu’s team. Alfie’s free kick was blocked by goalkeeper Jharna Dumrakoti with one hand. Bangladesh came out of despair in 24 minutes. The first goal is seen. A brilliant move from Saathi Munder left the box and rattled the net with a superb finish past the goalkeeper.
After 5 minutes, Bangladesh doubled the gap from the penalty. Alfie was dropped by the goalkeeper himself. The referee did not hesitate to blow the penalty whistle. Preeti led the team again with a strong shot from the spot kick to the right side of the goalkeeper.
Leading by two goals, Bangladesh still had the ball at their feet after the break. The attack did not decrease. However, no more goals were found due to the failure to finish. Meanwhile, despite trying to redeem the goal, the host nation, Nepal, could not put the ball in the net after dinging the goalkeeper, Yarjan Begum.
In the 52nd minute of the match, a shot by a Bangladeshi player from the corner went past the post. After 62 minutes, Preeti’s placement on Arifa’s cross failed to get a hat-trick in the outer net. Then Alfie was disappointed in the 76th minute. Alfie couldn’t beat the Aguan goalkeeper alone inside the box after receiving a through ball from midfield. A goal attempt is thwarted by going straight through the goalkeeper’s legs. In the end, the Bangladesh team left the field with a two-goal victory if no one else could see the goal.
As a result of one win, Bangladesh is in second place in the points table. India topped the list with a 7-0 win over Bhutan in the opening match of the tournament. Although the points are equal, they are ahead of Bangladesh by goal difference.
It should be noted that this year’s SAF Under-16 Women’s Championship is being held with four teams. Apart from Bangladesh and Nepal, there are India and Bhutan. Bangladesh’s second match will be on March 5, when the red and green representatives will face the mighty India. Bangladesh will play against Bhutan in the third and last match of the group stage on March 8.
