Home ›› 14 Sep 2022 ›› Sport
Bangladesh Women’s national football team stayed true to their promise of delivering riveting football as they brushed aside five-time Champions India 3-0 in their last group stage match in the Women’s SAFF Championship 2022 at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal on Tuesday.
Bangladesh had already confirmed their semi-final berth and with this victory, they go into the semi-final as group champions, meaning they will take on group B runners-up Bhutan on Friday.
Group A runners-up India, on the other hand, will face Nepal in the first semi on the same day.
Staying true to their definitive trait, Bangladesh got off the blocks quickly as they won a series of corners in the opening 10 minutes but couldn’t find the net. In the next 12 minutes, the women in red and green took India by storm as they scored twice to rattle the five-time champions.
Striker Mosammat Jahan Shopna scored her first goal of the tournament in the 12th minute. In a piercing move, all three Bangladesh forwards- Skipper Sabina Khatun, Srimoti Sarker, and Shopna combined to take Bangladesh 1-0 up. Srimoti played it through the defence line and Shopna moved smartly in behind to apply a striker’s finish.
The forwards were at it again as Bangladesh doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. Srimoti was the provider this time. The striker expertly nestled a throw and twisted to send away a keen runner in Shopna, who provided an exquisite finish at the near post, baffling the keeper.
Bangladesh kept their foot on the gas in the second half as well. Their intent paid dividends soon enough as Shopna netted her second goal of the match eight minutes after the restart. Sabina, the assist provider, played it behind once again and the striker’s instinct in Shopna kicked in as she squeezed it past the keeper with her right foot this time.
A shellshocked Indian side looked in disarray while the Bangladesh head coach Golam Rabbani for the first time in the match showed overwhelming emotions as he jumped in joy following a 3-0 lead.
A well-drilled Bangladesh side, throughout the match, didn’t allow India to take a foothold in the game; it was always about how many more Rabbani’s troops can get.
A desperate Indian side came close on a couple of occasions but failed to provide clinical finishes as Bangladesh kept hold of their third consecutive clean sheet in the competition.
