Bangladesh girls made a flying start in the 2019 AFC U-16 Women's Championship qualification round as they thrashed Bahrain by 10-0 in their first match at the Bir Sherestha Shaheed Shipahi Mostafa Kamal Stadium, Dhaka yesterday evening.
As many as seven Bangladesh players scored as skipper Maria Manda, Anuching Mogini and Shamsunnahar junior scored two each while Anai Mogini, Shajeda Khatun, Shamsunnahar and Tohura Khatun struck one goal apiece to join the goal rout.
In a completely one-sided match the ball was in the Bahrain area for almost the full length of match and the hapless Bahrain side might have conceded even more goals if referee hadn’t cancelled four goals citing offside. Bahrain goalkeeper Zahra Nezar Ali also made some good saves to salvage her side from further embarrassment.
However, Bahrain’s outfield players were no match against the experienced and skillful Bangladeshi girls, who started to attack from both wings through neat crosses from the beginning and took complete control from kick-off.
Bangladesh broke the deadlock in the 12th minute as Anai made a curving shot from the wing that beat the keeper to find the back of the net while skipper Maria doubled the lead four minutes later with a powerful overhead volley from the box.
The hosts needed just three more minutes to score their third as an Anai cross deflected off one of the Bahrain players for an easy tap-in goal for Anuching.
Bangladesh girls continued to attack and picked up the fourth goal in the 35th minute when Anuching scored her second goal of the match off a rebound, as Maria’s shot on Monica’s pass was fisted by Zahra. However, Anuching squandered the chance of scoring her hat-trick by putting the ball over the cross bar from the box. Shamsunnahar made it 5-0 in the last minute of the first half with a header from a neat cross by Anai.
Zahra, who saved a powerful shot by Monika in the injury time of the first half, saved a shot of Ritu Porna Chakma early in the second half but substitute Sajeda made it 6-0 after receiving a ball from Akhi Khatun in the 55th minute and Shamsunnahar junior scored another goal two minutes later.
Bahrain were reduced to 10 girls as Dana Basem received her second yellow card in the 58th minute for toppling down Shamsunnahar (junior) inside the penalty box and Shamsunnahar converted from the spot kick.
Bangladesh however, squandered a few chances while trying some long range shots and a few of their goals were also disallowed. Maria scored her second in the 71st minute and substitute Tohura made it 10-0 in the 80th minute.
Coach Golam Rabbani Choton expressed his satisfaction after the match.
‘The first match was crucial. Our target is to become best in the group. We have to be ahead in goal difference. I instructed the girls for that and they acted accordingly,’ said the coach after the match.
Skipper Maria and Shamsunnahar were content with their performance although both of them rued for missing hat-trick opportunity.
Earlier in the morning, Lebanon beat United Arab Emirates by 6-3 as Zahra Assaf score a hat-trick for the victors.
SQUAD:
Rupna Chakma, Anai Mogini, Anuching Mogini, Shamsunnahar Sr, Shamsunnahar Jr, Nazma, Akhi Khatun, Monica (Rehana Akhter), Maria Manda, Tohura Khatun, Ritupurna Chakma(Rojina Akhter)
