Bangladesh booked their place in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship for the third consecutive time after defeating Nepal 2-1 in a hard-fought semi-final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa.
The match began in challenging fashion for Bangladesh, whose performance lacked fluency during the opening stages. Nepal adopted an aggressive approach from the outset, enjoying greater possession and creating the more dangerous attacking opportunities. Bangladesh were forced to spend much of the first half defending as Nepal continued to press forward.
The Nepalese side took the lead in the 23rd minute through Gita Rana. Deepa Shahi delivered a corner into the penalty area and Rana applied a touch to guide the ball into the net, giving Nepal a deserved 1-0 advantage. The goal placed Bangladesh under increased pressure and left coach Peter Butler’s side searching for a way back into the contest.
For most of the remainder of the first half, Bangladesh struggled to establish control. Nepal continued to threaten in attack, while Bangladesh’s defence worked hard to contain the opposition. However, just before the interval, Bangladesh found a crucial equaliser.
In first-half stoppage time, Rituparna Chakma scored directly from a corner kick. Her delivery sailed into the net for an Olympic goal, levelling the score at 1-1 and providing Bangladesh with a significant boost before the break.
Nepal resumed the second half with renewed attacking intent and came close to restoring their lead early on. Rekha managed to beat the Bangladesh goalkeeper and attempted to score, but her effort struck the post and bounced away, allowing Bangladesh to escape.
Both teams continued to create opportunities as the match progressed. In the 69th minute, Nepal nearly went ahead when Saru Limbu’s curling effort narrowly missed the target. Bangladesh, meanwhile, remained in the contest thanks to a series of important saves from goalkeeper Mili, who denied Nepal on several occasions.
Bangladesh also created chances of their own. In the 78th minute, Sagarika was presented with an excellent opportunity after receiving a pass from Shamsunnahar Junior. Her close-range effort, however, was brilliantly stopped by Nepal’s goalkeeper, who punched the ball away to keep the scores level.
Despite numerous attacking moves from both sides, neither team could find a second goal during the regulation 90 minutes. The match therefore moved into six minutes of added time with the score still tied at 1-1.
The decisive moment arrived in the closing stages of stoppage time. Bangladesh produced a well-coordinated attacking move, and Sagarika applied the finishing touch to score the winning goal. Her strike completed Bangladesh’s comeback and secured a 2-1 victory.
The result sends Bangladesh into the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship for the third tournament in succession. After recovering from an early setback, the team demonstrated resilience and determination to overcome a strong Nepal side.
Rituparna Chakma’s first-half equaliser and Sagarika’s late winner proved decisive, while goalkeeper Mili’s key interventions helped keep Bangladesh in contention throughout the match. The victory ends Nepal’s campaign and ensures that Bangladesh will once again compete for the SAFF Women’s Championship title.
Having reached a third consecutive final, Bangladesh have moved one step closer to another regional crown, continuing their strong record in South Asian women’s football.