Sports Live: Hosts Bangladesh made a winning start in the four-nation SAFF Under-20 Women’s Championship 2023 as they beat Nepal by 3-1 goals at the Birshrestha Shaheed Sepahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium on Friday.

Forwards Aklima Khatun, Shaheda Akter Ripa, and midfielder-cum-captain Shamsunnahar Jr scored one goal apiece for the winners, while Manmaya Damai pulled one goal back for Nepal.

Bangladesh dominated the first half by 2-1 as Aklima gave the hosts the lead in the very third minute by slotting the ball home from inside the box after a long ball from Ripa before Shamsunnahar doubled the margin in the 13th minute.  

Manmaya reduced the gap for Nepal in the 24th minute.

Nepal pressed hard for the equaliser in the second half by keeping the Bangladesh defenders busy, but Ripa mesmerised the fans under floodlights by volleying the ball home following a long throw-in by defender Eity Khatun in the stoppage time of the game. 

Earlier in the opening match of the competition, India earned a crushing 12-0 win over Bhutan at the same venue.

Neha (stoppage time of the first half, 55th and 90th minutes), Anita Kumari (50th, 69th, and 78th minutes), and Lynda Kom Serto (61st, 63rd, and 75th minutes) all scored hat-tricks, while Apurna Narzary (29th and 36th minutes) and Nitu Linda (43rd minute) scored the other goals for India.

Dhaka, 04 February (campuslive24.com)// BIT