Bangladesh’s sporting focus on Thursday was split between the Asia Cup and the SAFF U-17 Championship, with the under-17 team producing a resounding 4-0 victory over Nepal in Colombo. The result not only gave Bangladesh a perfect start to their Group A campaign but also brought them closer to a semifinal berth.
In the first half, Bangladesh took the lead through Sabbir Islam. Captain Nazmul Huda Faisal delivered a corner from the right flank, and Nepal’s goalkeeper Ram Bahadur failed to control the ball. Islam seized the opportunity and slotted the ball home, giving Bangladesh a 1-0 advantage.
Shortly after the interval, Bangladesh scored twice within two minutes. In the 48th minute, Opu Rahman made a decisive run into the Nepalese box, evading defenders to calmly place the ball past the goalkeeper, extending the lead to 2-0. A minute later, Md Arif struck a powerful shot from just outside the box to further consolidate Bangladesh’s dominance.
Bangladesh sealed the rout in the 65th minute through a goal from Mohammad Manik, completing a 4-0 win. Despite a few early misses and further chances that went begging, the team maintained control throughout the match.
Nepal had defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their opening match. A point against Bangladesh would have secured Nepal a semifinal spot, but the heavy defeat now casts doubt on their progression. With only a point needed against hosts Sri Lanka on Sunday, Bangladesh are well placed to top their group and advance to the semifinals.
