KATHMANDU: In a tightly contested match that ended with an equal score even after extra time and penalty shootouts, India and Bangladesh have been declared joint champions of the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship.
India initially took the lead within the first nine minutes of the game. The potential for Bangladesh to secure the title emerged in the dying moments when they scored the equalizer. To resolve the deadlock, both teams engaged in a penalty shootout.
After the first five penalties from each side resulted in goals, the game entered sudden death. Even after the subsequent round of penalties, with all players successfully converting, the score remained level at 11-11.
Following this, the Nepali referee, Anjana Rai, who officiated throughout the game, decided the title through a “coin toss.” India won the toss, leading to the declaration of India as the champions. However, the Bangladesh players expressed dissatisfaction with the “coin toss” decision and refused to leave the field.
After an extended stay on the field by the Bangladesh players, the Match Commissioner eventually announced the cancellation of the “coin toss” result. Both teams were then declared joint champions of the championship.
In the group stage match, Bangladesh had defeated India with a 1-0 scoreline.
With this title, Bangladesh secured their fourth consecutive victory in the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship, while India claimed the runner-up position for the second time.
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