Bangladesh defeated India 3-1 in their second match of the SAFF Under-16 Women’s Championship 2024 at ANFA Complex in Kathmandu Tuesday to reach the final with a game in hand.
Alpi Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity and Arpita Biswas scored one each as Bangladesh rose to the top of the table of the four-nation tournament.
Saiful Bari Titu's side earned maximum six points from two games to advance to Sunday's final.
Bangladesh will conclude their first-round campaign against Bhutan Friday.
Bangladesh squad remained unchanged as Prity, the architect of Bangladesh’s 2-0 win over Nepal in the last clash with a brace, also started the game following uncertainty over minor pain.
Prity and Alpi played up front with Sathi Munda and Fatema Akter on the wings.
Alpi put the girls in red and green ahead early in the game.
The forward’s initial free kick rebounded off but she was successful on the second attempt from around 30 yards out against the Indian goalkeeper Surajmoni Kumari.
Indian forward Anushka Kumar scored a hat-trick against Bhutan in the first match but she was well marked before finding the net from a tight angle in the 55th minute.
With Bangladesh looking to take the lead again, Alpi created a chance but Surajmoni was on spot to deny the headed effort.
Prity gave Bangladesh the advantage again in the 78th minute after snatching the ball away in between two Indian defenders before hitting the net from just outside the box.
Captain Arpita then confirmed her side’s final berth with an 89th-minute header following a deflected corner of substitute Ananya Bithi.
“If you compare the two halves, it was an even match, although we won,” said Titu after the win.
“All credit goes to the players. They are under 16. The passion and energy they put in their performance is amazing.”
RESULT
Bangladesh U-16 3 (Alpi 9, Prity 78, Arpita 89) India U-16 1 (Anushka 55)
