KATHMANDU: Bangladesh clinched the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship title after a dominant 4–0 victory over Nepal in the final league match held on Monday at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.
Returning from a three-match suspension, Sagorika starred with four goals, including a hat-trick, to help Bangladesh successfully defend their title. With six wins from six matches, the hosts finished the tournament with a perfect record and 18 points.
Nepal, who placed second, managed only 12 points from the same number of matches. This was Nepal’s second defeat to Bangladesh in the tournament. In their previous encounter, Bangladesh had secured a dramatic 3–2 win with a stoppage-time goal.
This marks Bangladesh’s fifth age-group title in the SAFF women’s competitions. They had also won the championship in 2023.
Sagorika opened the scoring in the 8th minute, beating Nepali goalkeeper Sujata Tamang with a through ball. The first half ended with Bangladesh leading 1–0.
In the second half, Sagorika intensified her attack, netting her second in the 52nd minute after getting past Simran and Sujata. She completed her hat-trick in the 58th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. Her fourth goal came in the 78th minute, when she beat Simran and scored past Sujata on a pass from Munki Akhtar.
Sagorika had been involved in controversy during a July 13 match against Nepal, where she and Nepali defender Simran Rai received red cards following an on-field clash. Both players were handed a three-match suspension and fined USD 500 by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).
Despite the earlier controversy, Sagorika returned to the field with a strong performance, playing a key role in Bangladesh’s championship win.
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