Bangladesh Under-20 Women’s National Football Team made a thunderous start to their SAFF U20 Women’s Championship 2025 campaign, crushing Sri Lanka 9-1 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka on Friday.
The hosts came out flying and struck inside two minutes. Midfielder Sapna Rani opened the floodgates with a stunning free-kick from the edge of the box, leaving the Sri Lankan goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Just two minutes later, Munki Akhter doubled the lead with a composed finish to open her tally for the tournament.
Bangladesh pressed on relentlessly. After several missed chances, the third goal came in the 37th minute. Sinha Jahan Sikha broke down the right and picked out Mst Sagorika, who calmly slotted home to give the home side a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time.
The second half began with the same intensity. Munki Akhter struck again in the 48th minute, capitalising on a neat pass from Sagorika. Two minutes later, Sikha joined the party with a cool finish from a smart cutback by substitute Shanti Mardi.
Sagorika lit up the Bashundhara crowd with a dazzling solo run in the 53rd minute for her second, and completed her hat-trick just six minutes later, drilling home a Puja Das cross to make it 7-0.
Bangladesh showed no signs of easing up. In the 85th minute, Rupa Akter nodded in from a Bonna Khatun corner.
Sri Lanka did grab a consolation in stoppage time through Layansika Jasotharan. But the final word belonged to the Tigresses. Sree Moti Trishna Rani raced down the right and delivered a perfect ball to Shanti Mardi, who finished the move in style to seal a resounding 9-1 win.
With this commanding performance, Bangladesh sent a strong message to the rest of the tournament. They return to action on 13 July against Nepal at the same venue.