Bangladesh, India advance to SAFF final

Hosts Bangladesh lived up to its expectation reached the final of  SAFF U-15 Women’s Football Championship when they blanked Bhutan 3-0 in their second match at Kamalapur Stadium in the capital yesterday. It was Bangladesh’s second successive victories and booked a final berth with one match to spare. The home team will encounter with India in the final who trounced Nepal 10-0 in the other match of the day.

Bhutan and Nepal who tasted defeats in both their previous matches have no chances of making the top two, who are billed to play the final on December 24. However, Bangladesh will face India while Bhutan against Nepal to complete the formalities of the group phase on Thursday.

Indian forwards Sunita Manda and Priyanga Devi Naorem slammed hat-tricks in the one-sided match  while Lynda Kom netted a brace. Santhiya Vengadajalam and Pushparani Chanu scored the other two goals.

Bangladesh maintained their sheer dominance in the game from the kick-off till the final whistle, keeping the ball inside Bhutan's half most of the time displaying their confident passing skills. Bangladesh could have won the match by a more bigger margin but Bhutan’s defensive tactics  denied them from scoring more. Bhutan hardly went for attack and fortified their defence with players gurading the fort as well as closely marking their Bangladeshi opponents.

Scoring goals, creating chances with long and short passed and quick movements, Akhi was a vibrant presence throughout the game. Her less involvement in defence allowed her move freely at the opponent's half.

Akhi put the home side ahead twelve minutes into the clock as the tall defender out jumped her markers heading home in a left-flag corner of Marzia (1-0).

The hosts were deprived of the second in the 37th minute when Shamsunnahar danced down the right flank cutting the ball to Anuching Mogini, who rounded her body to take a shot that hit the sidepost. Bhutanese goalkeeper Karma Yuden  then saved her team punching away Marzia's right footer on the rebound.

Akhi was in his brilliant best again in the 55th minute of the match as the defender hit the top of the net with a left-footed punch on dipping corner of Marzia, who floated the ball from the right hand flag (2-0).

Substitute forward Sajeda Khatun, who came off the bench replacing Tohura at the hour mark, scored the third in the 80th minute with an angular grounder that hit the far post before crossing the goal-line (3-0).

Bangladesh coach Golam Rabbani Choton slammed the opponents for taking a negative approach. “They put all the players in the defence, it’s a disgrace, Bangladesh would have scored more goals if Bhutan played positive football. We dominated the game and our target was to win, we achieved our target and I am happy with the performance,” said Choton.

Bangladesh, India advance to SAFF final

Hosts Bangladesh lived up to its expectation reached the final of SAFF U-15 Womens Football Championship when they blanked Bhutan 3-0 in their second match at Kamalapur Stadium in the capital yesterday. It was Bangladeshs second successive victories and booked a final berth with one match to spare. The home team will encounter with India in the final who trounced Nepal 10-0 in the other match of the day. Bhutan and Nepal who tasted defeats in both their previous matches have no chances of making the top two, who are billed to play the final on December 24. However, Bangladesh will face India while Bhutan against Nepal to complete the formalities of the group phase on Thursday. Indian forwards Sunita Manda and Priyanga Devi Naorem slammed hat-tricks in the one-sided match while Lynda Kom netted a brace. Santhiya Vengadajalam and Pushparani Chanu scored the other two goals. Bangladesh maintained their sheer dominance in the game from the kick-off till the final whistle, keeping the ball inside Bhutans half most of the time displaying their confident passing skills. Bangladesh could have won the match by a more bigger margin but Bhutans defensive tactics denied them from scoring more. Bhutan hardly went for attack and fortified their defence with players gurading the fort as well as closely marking their Bangladeshi opponents. Scoring goals, creating chances with long and short passed and quick movements, Akhi was a vibrant presence throughout the game. Her less involvement in defence allowed her move freely at the opponents half. Akhi put the home side ahead twelve minutes into the clock as the tall defender out jumped her markers heading home in a left-flag corner of Marzia (1-0). The hosts were deprived of the second in the 37th minute when Shamsunnahar danced down the right flank cutting the ball to Anuching Mogini, who rounded her body to take a shot that hit the sidepost. Bhutanese goalkeeper Karma Yuden then saved her team punching away Marzias right footer on the rebound. Akhi was in his brilliant best again in the 55th minute of the match as the defender hit the top of the net with a left-footed punch on dipping corner of Marzia, who floated the ball from the right hand flag (2-0). Substitute forward Sajeda Khatun, who came off the bench replacing Tohura at the hour mark, scored the third in the 80th minute with an angular grounder that hit the far post before crossing the goal-line (3-0). Bangladesh coach Golam Rabbani Choton slammed the opponents for taking a negative approach. They put all the players in the defence, its a disgrace, Bangladesh would have scored more goals if Bhutan played positive football. We dominated the game and our target was to win, we achieved our target and I am happy with the performance, said Choton.