Sagorika hat-trick powers Bangladesh to 9-1 rout of Sri Lanka in SAFF U-20 opener

Sagorika nets a stunning hat-trick, while Munki Akther scores a brace as Butler’s girls get their title defence off to a stunning start

Bangladesh women's team started the tournament by thrashing Sri Lanka. Photo: BFF

Defending champions Bangladesh have got off to a flying start in the SAFF Women's U-20 Championship, trouncing Sri Lanka 9-1 in their opening match.

On Friday, Mosammat Sagorika bagged a hat-trick at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, while Munki Akther scored twice, and Sapna Rani, Sinha Jahan Shikha, Rupa Aktar, and Shanti Mardi each added a goal to seal a resounding win. Six of Bangladesh’s nine goals came in the second half.

Despite the pitch being muddy and heavy due to recent rainfall, it did little to knock the young Tigresses off their stride.

The goal fest began in the second minute with Sapna Rani’s spectacular free-kick that floated over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. Three minutes later, Munki doubled the lead after galloping into the box from the left wing and slotting the ball into the near post.

Peter Butler’s girls kept creating chances, putting pressure on Sri Lanka’s defence, but couldn’t extend the lead immediately due to missed chances or the goalkeeper’s resilience.

In the 37th minute, Sagorika opened her account, putting away an easy chance from close range after Shikha’s excellent cross deceived the goalkeeper.

In added time of the first half, Sagorika thought she'd doubled her tally from inside the six-yard box, but the goal was controversially disallowed for offside, despite Sri Lankan players being on the goal line.

At the start of the second half, Sagorika’s cutback found Munki unmarked in front of goal, who tapped in to make it 4-0.

In the 50th minute, Shikha scored with a superbly placed strike from a cross from the left. Three minutes later, Sagorika advanced into the box and scored with a low shot. Five minutes after that, she completed her hat-trick with a well-placed shot from Puja’s cutback.

In the dying minutes of the match, Jasotharan Layansika grabbed a consolation goal for Sri Lanka from a counter-attack. However, just before the final whistle, Shanti scored Bangladesh’s ninth goal.

The defending champions will next face Nepal on Sunday.