Bangladesh, the defending champion of the SAFF Women’s Championship has continued its legacy for the second time as it beats Nepal with a 2-1 victory in the finals on Wednesday.
The closely contested final, held at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu saw Bangladesh overpower Nepal shattering the dream of the Himalayan Nation to win its first-ever title of the tournament unfulfilled.
Wednesday’s loss loss marks Nepal’s sixth loss in the SAFF Championship final.
The first half of the match remained pointless for both the teams saw the ball touching the net for Bangladesh on the 52nd minute of the match. Monika Chakma from Bangladesh scored the first goal of the finale giving the lead to Bangladesh.
Four minutes later, Nepal equalized the match as Amisha Rai converted a precise through pass from Preeti Rai, slipping the ball past Bangladesh’s goalkeeper.
Bangladesh regained control when Rituparna’s skilful shot from outside the box sailed into the goal, securing their lead and ultimately the title. Throughout the tournament, Rituparna had been in stellar form, and her performance in the final was no exception.
Both teams had chances in the first half, including a close attempt from Bangladesh when a defensive error nearly allowed Sabita Khatun to score. Nepal had its near-miss when Amisha’s shot, assisted by Sabitra Bhandari, struck the post in the 10th minute.
