Bangladesh wins SAFF title again after defeating Nepal
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Bangladesh wins SAFF title again after defeating Nepal
Bangladesh was on a mission to retain the title. Goals from Monika Chakma and Rituparna Chakma showed that coach Peter Butler's team did it. They won the title by defeating host Nepal 2-1 in the final.
In the second minute, Tohura Khatun got the ball in the gap due to Pooja Rana's mistake. Her shot was blocked by the crossbar. In the return attempt, Nepal goalkeeper Anjila blocked her header. In the next minute, Bangladesh goalkeeper Rupana Chakma also made a small mistake. However, Rupana managed to save before Savitra Bhandari could use that opportunity. Both mistakes showed that the nerves of the final were well-established in both teams.
Bangladesh's goal was blocked early on at the crossbar. In the 10th minute, Nepal's attempt to score a goal was also blocked by the crossbar. Amisha Karki's shot from outside the box hit the post. Bangladesh was saved from conceding a goal.
In the 18th minute of the match, Amrita Jaishi was shown a yellow card for fouling Monika Chakma. After about four minutes, Bangladesh tried to score with a long-range shot. However, Nepal goalkeeper Anjila easily saved Masura Parveen's shot.
In the 27th minute, Amisha Karki got a chance. However, Bangladesh's defense handled it well. In the 33rd minute, Nepal had a chance outside the box. However, the visitors could not capitalize on that opportunity. Maria Mandar's shot went over the bar. Towards the end of the first half, Nepal got another chance, but this time, Nepal did not get a goal due to Sabita's mistake on the right wing, when she slipped and Shamsunnahar Senior took possession of the ball.
Although neither team got a chance in the first half, neither team was able to capitalize on it. As a result, the first 45 minutes ended goalless. All the excitement was for the next 45 minutes.
Bangladesh took the lead at the beginning of the second half. In the 52nd minute, after a great build-up by the visitors, the ball fell to the feet of Monica Chakma due to a mistake by Savita Rana Magar. Her goal put the defending champions ahead.
However, Bangladesh could not maintain their lead. Host Nepal responded in the 55th minute. Masura Parveen made a mistake in intercepting Preeti Rai's pass. The ball fell to the feet of Amisha Karki. The Nepali forward easily put the ball into the net after finding the goalkeeper alone.
From then on, Nepal came closest to success in its attempt to go ahead. Rupana Chakma kept Bangladesh in the match by stopping multiple shots from Savitra Bhandari and Amisha Karki.
In the 76th minute, a great shot by Maria Manda was saved with one hand by Nepal goalkeeper Anjila. However, in the 80th minute, the Nepal goalkeeper could not cope with that goal. The hosts made multiple mistakes. Substitute Anita Besnet was responsible for marking Rituparna Chakma from Shamsunnahar Senior's throw-in. She couldn't do it, Rituparna took a shot from a wide angle. Her shot hit Anjila's hand and went into the net. The 13,000 spectators present at the Dashrath Stadium were stunned in an instant.
The final whistle confirmed Bangladesh's title celebration. Meanwhile, Nepal was left in the throes of a dream loss in the women's SAFF final for the sixth time in a row.
