Heartbreak for Bangladesh as women lose to India in SAFF football final

Bangladesh’s superb run in the SAFF women’s football championship has come to an end with a 3-1 defeat against India in the final.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 Jan 2017, 04:27 PM
Updated : 4 Jan 2017, 04:29 PM

India broke the deadlock early in the game but Bangladesh restored parity before the break to end the first half level on 1-1 at Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri on Wednesday evening.

India punished Bangladesh’s mistakes, however, and sealed their fourth successive title.

Sabina Khatun and her team had held the hosts to a goalless draw in their Group B tie to finish pool stage as group champions ahead of India.

India looked aggressive from the outset with Bangladesh surviving a close call early on.

Bangladesh, who adopted a defensive strategy against India in their previous encounter, was let down by their defence when Dangmei Grace put India ahead in the 11th minute.

The equaliser came six minutes before the break through a counterattack.

Sabina picked out Sirat Jahan Shopna on the right and the hat-trick star from the semifinal against the Maldives hit the target from a tough angle.

The young Bangladesh team, with 15 of the 20 squad players picked from the under-16 side, were put to the sword by their experienced opponents in the second half.

India piled pressure in the Bangladesh box after the break and Nargis Khatun conceded a penalty in the 62nd minute. Sasmita Malik converted the spotkick to put her team ahead once again.

An amateurish blunder from Bangladesh goalkeeper Sabina Akter, who did not let anything go past her in the matches prior to the final, allowed India to score again four minutes later.

Indumathi let one fly from well outside the box and the ball bounced awkwardly in front of Sabina who could only manage a weak hand on it before watching it sail in.

Bangladesh women took the fight to their opponents in the last 20 minutes but could not find the back of the net.