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Published : 21 Jul 2025, 10:00 PM
Bangladesh have retained their SAFF Under-20 Women’s Championship crown in ruthless fashion, crushing Nepal 4-0 in Dhaka to complete a perfect campaign.
Striker Sagorika, back from a three-match suspension, delivered a sensational performance at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Monday.
She netted all four goals to secure her side's sixth straight win and ensure a top finish in the four-nation tournament.
Nepal, who came into the fixture as the only other title contender, settled for second place.
A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the victims of the Bangladesh Air Force jet crash at Milestone School and College earlier in the day. Despite the sombre tone, Bangladesh hit the ground running from the opening whistle.
Sagorika, who had been shown a red card in their first meeting with Nepal -- a match Bangladesh edged 3-2 -- wasted no time making her presence felt on return.
Within two minutes, she tested the Nepal goalkeeper with a sharp effort at the near post, and minutes later, teammate Shanti Mardi missed a close-range chance.
The opener came in the 8th minute, as Sagorika timed her run perfectly to beat the offside trap and slotted home with a precise angled finish.
Bangladesh nearly conceded 10 minutes later, but were spared when goalkeeper Mile Akter mishandled a cross and Nepal’s Mina Deuba struck the post with the goal at her mercy.
After the break, the defending champions raised the tempo. In the 52nd minute, Sagorika doubled the lead, controlling a through ball with a deft first touch before rifling in a superb strike.
Moments later, she completed her hat-trick -- her second of the tournament -- latching onto a lofted pass from midfield and lifting the ball over the advancing Nepalese goalkeeper.
Sagorika added a fourth in the 76th minute, dazzling the defence with her footwork before calmly finding the bottom corner. She was substituted shortly after, having sealed a dominant display.
Earlier in the tournament, the prolific forward had scored another hat-trick in a 9-1 demolition of Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh, the inaugural champions in 2023, finished the round-robin campaign with a perfect record, scoring 26 goals and conceding just three. Their latest triumph under head coach Peter Butler cements their growing dominance in regional women’s football.
