Bangladesh women's football team once again made the nation proud as they clinched the coveted title of SAFF U-20 Women's Championship beating Nepal by 3-0 goals in the final held today (Thursday) at Birshreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in the city's Kamalpur.
In the proceeding, Shahida Akter Ripa, skipper Shamsunnahar Jr. and substitute Unnoti khatun scored one each to secure Bangladesh's victory on the day in one-sided affairs.
Bangladesh launched a series of attacks at the beginning of the match but failed to take the reap lack of proper finishing. The girls in red and green missed the first scoring chance in the very 2nd minute when Aklima Khatun's shot from close range sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
Bangladesh got the second scoring chance in the 18th minute. Shahida Akter Ripa provided a shot pass to Aklima Khatun, who took a close-range shot from the danger zone, but Nepali custodian Kabita brilliantly gripped the ball diving her front.
Nepal created a scoring chance in the 36th minute when Amisha Karki's shot from the vantage position went out of play beside the sidebar.
Bangladesh got the third scoring chance in the 38th minute when Shahida Akter Ripa's long-range angular shot off a pass from Mahfuza narrowly went left side of the bar.
Following their failure to convert early in the game, Bangladesh scored twice in the span of four minutes to take a stranglehold of the game.
Ripa gave Bangladesh a deserving lead in the 42nd minute when her powerful angular shot from the far post penetrated the net after the ball came her way when a Nepali defender attempted to clear the ball.
Captain Shamsunnahar doubled the lead in the injury time of the first half. Following a shot pass from Aklima Khatun onrushing Shamsunnahar gently pushed the ball to the net after dodging past Nepali custodian Kabita who came forward to clear the ball.
Back with a 2-0 lead, Bangladesh started the second half and continued their onslaught and added another goal in the second half.
Substitute Unnoti Khatun sealed the victory scoring the third goal for Bangladesh in the 87th minute with a top from handshake distance following a free kick of Ripa.
The winning margin of the Bangladesh team could have been bigger if Shamsunnahar Jr. and Ripa would not miss some real scoring chances in the proceeding.
Nepal had a chance to reduce the margin in the 80th minute. Amisha Karki took a powerful right footer shot from close range off a through pass from Mamta Pun, but custodian Rupna Chakma brilliantly saved the ball diving her right at a cost of a corner.
Rupna Chakma of Bangladesh was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament while skipper Smasunnahar Jr. of Bangladesh received the highest scorer and most valuable player awards for her impressive performance throughout the tournament.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, was the chief guest and handed over the champion trophy to the Bangladesh team after the final match.
Bangladesh played impressive football throughout the tournament. They beat Nepal 3-1 in their group opening match, played to a goalless draw with strong India in their second match and dumped Bhutan 5-0 to emerge as the group champions.
Earlier, in the last year in Nepal, the Bangladesh senior women's football team made history by winning the title of SAFF Women's Championship.
