SAFF U19 Women’s Championship Kicks Off with Dominant Performances
The SAFF U19 Women’s Championship commenced with a flurry of goals and decisive victories on Saturday at Pokhara Stadium. Four national teams are vying for supremacy in the tournament, with India and Bangladesh setting a strong early tone by defeating their respective opponents, Nepal and Bhutan.
Bhutan faced a significant challenge, succumbing to a substantial defeat against Bangladesh, while hosts Nepal narrowly lost to their neighbouring rivals, India, by a single goal.
Bangladesh’s Goal-Scoring Barrage Against Bhutan
The opening match of the championship saw Bangladesh unleash an impressive offensive performance against Bhutan. Goals began to find the back of the net from the 28th minute onwards, with Mamoni Chakma etching her name as the tournament’s first scorer.
By the conclusion of the first half, Bangladesh, who share the title of joint defending champions with India, had established a commanding 4-0 lead. Sree Moti Trishna Rani contributed to the scoreline in the 43rd minute, while Most Munki Akhter netted a brace in the 44th and 45+3 minutes.
The second half witnessed further brilliance from both Rani and Akhter, as they both completed individual hat-tricks. Akhter extended Bangladesh’s lead with her third and fourth goals in the 81st and 90+3 minutes, respectively. Rani, after adding two more goals in the 54th and 60th minutes, was substituted in the 66th minute.
The scoring spree continued with Alpi Akter also achieving a hat-trick, scoring in the 73rd, 86th, and 90+5 minutes. Arpita Biswas added a ninth goal for Bangladesh in the 90+4 minute.
In an attempt to stem the tide, Bhutan made a goalkeeping substitution in the 57th minute, replacing Sonam Choden with Kelzang Wangmo while trailing by five goals. However, this change did not alter the match’s outcome, with Wangmo conceding seven more goals.
India Secures Tight Victory Over Nepal
In the day’s second fixture, hosts Nepal put up a spirited performance against India, managing to deny their opponents a more emphatic victory. While India created several scoring opportunities, Nepal’s goalkeeper, Jharna Dumrakoti, made a series of commendable saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Dumrakoti was particularly active in the 49th minute, saving a shot from substitute Pritika Barman, who had advanced from the right flank inside the penalty area. However, Pearl Fernandes was quick to react to the rebound, converting the opportunity to score the decisive goal for India.
Nepal struggled to create significant threats to the Indian defence throughout the match. Notably, the Indian contingent participating in this U19 tournament is their U17 team, which is currently undergoing preparation for the upcoming AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup. This prestigious continental tournament is scheduled to commence in April in China.
Tournament Format and Upcoming Fixtures
The SAFF U19 Women’s Championship is being contested in a single round-robin format. This means each team will play against every other team once.
The upcoming schedule promises further exciting encounters:
- Monday, 3:00 PM: Nepal will face Bhutan.
- Monday, 12:00 PM: India will play against Bangladesh.
The initial results have set a high benchmark for the tournament, with Bangladesh and India demonstrating their strength and determination in their opening matches. The coming days will reveal how the remaining teams adapt and compete in this crucial championship.
