Bangladesh girls put up a dominating display to beat Nepal comfortably by 3-0 in the final to clinch the inaugural SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship 2023 title Thursday. Shaheda Akter Ripa and Shamsunnahar Jr netted one each in the opening half while Unnoti Khatun added other in the late stage to make sure the hosts win the four-team tournament unbeaten.Bangladesh earlier defeated the same opponent in their tournament opener by 3-1 before playing out a goalless draw with India and crushing Bhutan 5-0 to reach the final.
Only four months ago, the senior team won the SAFF Championship 2022 beating hosts Nepal in Kathmandu and Shamsunnahar was one of the squad members along with goalkeeper Rupna Chakma. Shamsunnahar, also captain of the current side, scored a total 5 goals including a hat-trick against Bhutan. Only two minutes into the clock, striker Aklima Khatun found the opponent goalkeeper out of position and tried her luck from 25 yards but failed to keep on target.
She got another chance in the 18th minute after collecting Ripa’s pass inside the box but the effort went to the keeper. Amisha Karki shot wide from inside the box in the 36th minute which was Nepal’s only chance in the first half. Ripa’s curled right-footer was saved by the keeper two minutes later.Ripa finally gave the breakthrough with a fantastic strike in the 42nd minute when she collected a missed pass and curved home from edge of the box.
Shamsunnahar doubled the lead at the stroke of the first half after receiving a pass from Ripa and placing home past the keeper.The visitors pressed forward soon after the break and Dipa Shahi squandered a chance from an unmarked position in the box. Aklima was replaced by Airin Khatun at centre-forward before the hour mark. Rupna produced a spectacular save to deny Amisha’s shot with a dive to her right in the 80th minute.
Substitute Unnoti tapped home from gosl-line following a free-kick of Ripa and made it 3-0 three minutes before the stipulated time.Thousands of spectators at the Birshrestha Shaheed Sepahi Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka rejoiced every goal and the victory in ecstatic passion.Bangladesh U-20 Women 3 (Ripa 42, Shamsunnahar 45, Unnoti 87) 0 Nepal U-20 Women Bangladesh: Rupna Chakma; Nasrin Akter, Surma Jannat, Afeida Khandaker, Sohagi Kisku; Sapna Rani, Mahfuza Khatun, Eity Khatun, Saheda Akter Ripa, Shamsunnahar Jr, Aklima Khatun.
Nepal: Kabita BK, Preeti Rai, Kumari Tamang, Manmaya Damai, Amisha Karki, Dipa Shahi, Pratiksha Chaudhary, Sabina Chaudhary, Anjali Chand, Mamata Pun, Tulasa Bohara.
