Bangladesh clinched their maiden SAFF Women’s Championship heading with a 3-1 victory over Nepal in a delightful final at the Dasarath Rangasala in Kathmandu on September 19, 2022. Ms. Krishna Rani Sarkar achieved a brace after substitute forward Shamsunnahar Jr had delivered Bangladesh an early lead to propel Bangladesh to South Asian supremacy, breaking the Nepalese hearts, who were playing their fifth final.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the first half on a rain-soaked pitch and in front of a capacity crowd, Bangladesh came under high pressure from the hosts, who pulled one back in the 70th minute through a powerful diagonal attempt. However, Ms. Krishna, who scored the second goal for Bangladesh in the 42nd minute of the match following Shamsunnahar Jr’s opener in the 14th minute, ensured Bangladesh’s victory with another expert finish in the 77th minute, placing home past the Nepal keeper on a through-ball from Monika Chakma.
The victory crowned Bangladesh the champions in South Asian women’s football for the first time in the sixth edition, ending India’s reign of five successive titles. Meanwhile, hosts Nepal had to contend with the runners-up trophy for the fifth time.
Bangladesh skipper Sabina Khatun became the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals in the match. The blemish in the campaign for Golam Rabbani Choton’s charges was the goal they conceded in the final, having scored 23 in the tournament.
Although Bangladesh had won age-level tournaments in women’s in South Asian football, this was the first time they won the title at the senior level by beating the two best teams in the region, India, and Nepal, for the first time. Bangladesh made the final on one occasion in 2016 but was eventually beaten 3-1 by India in that final.
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