Tohura Khatun slammed a hat-trick as Bangladesh women team off to a flying start in the SAFF Under-15 football Championship trouncing Nepal by 6-0 yesterday at the Birsreshtha Mostafa Kamal Stadium in the capital.
In the day’s first match India also made a winning start with a 3-0 victory over Bhutan at the same ground.
Bangladesh one of the favourites to win the title of the maiden title of the SAFF Under-15 women’s competition led the first half with 4-0 and added two more goals in the second half.
Bangladesh, the hosts, made a convincing start with taking the match in control right from the kick off and also opened space to take clear lead inside 10 minutes but Maria Manda and Tohura failed to mark the targets from edge of the area.
It was unbelievable when Maria Manda shot the ball just few meters from the goal-line after Tohura made a cut back on seventh minute and a good attempt of Tohura narrowly missed the side post on 10th.
After missing a couple of scoring chances, Monika Chakma opened the net on 11th minute when her corner kick from right flank entered into post after deflecting a defender (1-0).
Bangladesh girls became desperate to increase the tally and doubled the advantage three minutes later and this time Anuching Mogini found the net from goal-mouth melee (2-0).
Bangladesh girls, who actually made the encounter just a one-sided affairs to give the opponents very rare chance to cross the central line, made the tally 3-0 on 32nd minute when Tohura opened her account in style after receiving a through pass from Shamsunnahar edging past two defenders to shot into far post.
Anuching Mogini, who struck twice, scored her second goal in the added time of the first half (4-0).
It was predicted that Bangladesh girls might be going to win with a record margin win but in the half they could add only two more goals with Tohura Khatun scored her second on 57th and completed hat-trick on 71st minute to sealed the victory by 6-0.
But the Bangladeshi girls wasted at least half a dozen scoring chances when some of their efforts closely missed the post.
India vs Bhutan
In the day’s opening match, India blanked Bhutan by 3-0 when the winners scored all three goals in the first half with Kritina Devi, Priyangan Devi and Pratiksha Lakra scoring one goal each.