It was a dominant display from Bangladesh at Thimphu’s Changlimithang Stadium on Tuesday, as the girls in red and green overpowered Nepal 4–1 in the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship, thanks to a superb hat-trick from Sauravi Akanda Prity.
Bangladesh had already taken a 2–1 lead by half-time, but it was in the second half that their superiority truly showed. From the opening whistle, the team dictated the tempo, stringing together passes and launching attacks with control and pace. The first half saw Bangladesh record three shots on target, compared to Nepal’s two, with the latter earning the only corner. But despite what the statistics suggested, Bangladesh’s constant, high-intensity forward play kept Nepal under pressure throughout.
Nepal remained in the contest early in the second half and had a golden opportunity to equalise. A simple tap-in was sent high over the bar by Nepalese forward Bhumika, a miss that could have shifted the momentum of the match.
Bangladesh’s right wing proved to be their most dangerous outlet, with Purnima Marma running riot. Her blistering pace repeatedly left Nepal’s left-back trailing, and her crosses created a string of chances, including the ones that led to Prity’s goals.
Nepal tried to respond by pushing numbers forward, using five forwards and midfielders to construct attacks and attempting to break the offside trap with long balls. However, the Bangladeshi defence stood firm and rarely allowed them a clear path to goal.
In the 70th minute, Nepal narrowly avoided conceding when a powerful shot from Momita Khatun was cleared off the goal line. But from the resulting corner, Prity completed her brace. Just three minutes later, she nearly sealed her hat-trick with a volley from inside the box, but failed to connect cleanly.
The match saw an unusual moment in the 80th minute when Bangladesh goalkeeper Yearzan Begum picked up a back-pass from teammate Sauravi. Nepal were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the box but could not make it count.
Then came the moment of the match in the 86th minute. Purnima, again bursting down the right, delivered a perfect ball into the box which Prity calmly slotted home, completing her hat-trick, the second of the tournament.
Thuinuye Marma added the finishing touch with a well-taken goal, ensuring a commanding 4–1 win for Bangladesh before the final whistle.
Even a heavy downpour in the 82nd minute could not disrupt Bangladesh’s rhythm. The team adjusted to the wet conditions and maintained control of the game till the end.
With three wins from four matches, Bangladesh now sit second in the table with nine points, just behind India who have three wins from three. Tuesday’s win solidified Bangladesh’s position as serious contenders in the tournament.
Prity’s clinical finishing, Purnima’s electrifying wing play, and the team’s all-round cohesion made for a thrilling evening for fans.
