Bangladesh’s Under-19 women’s football team continued their impressive march in the SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship, claiming a confident 2–0 victory over traditional rivals India to register their second consecutive win in the tournament. The match, played at the Rangashala Stadium in Pokhara, Nepal, underlined Bangladesh’s growing maturity and tactical discipline under head coach Peter Butler.
With this result, Bangladesh have collected a maximum six points from two matches and now sit comfortably at the top of the points table. India, who began their campaign with a win over hosts Nepal, remain second with three points from the same number of matches. Bangladesh will face Nepal in their final league fixture on Wednesday, a match that could further consolidate their place in the final.
Bangladesh had announced their intentions in emphatic fashion in their opening match by overwhelming Bhutan with a dozen goals. That encounter saw Munki Akhter score four times, while Alpi Akhter and Trishna Rani both completed hat-tricks, highlighting the depth of attacking talent in the squad. India, meanwhile, had looked competitive in their opening win against Nepal but found Bangladesh a far sterner test.
The early stages of the match belonged to India, who pressed high and dominated possession for the opening 20 to 25 minutes. Bangladesh, however, remained composed, absorbing the pressure and gradually asserting control in midfield. Once they settled, Butler’s side began to threaten regularly on the counter-attack, and the breakthrough arrived in the 29th minute.
Mamni Chakma’s cleverly delivered free-kick caused confusion in the Indian penalty area. Goalkeeper Munni failed to gather the ball cleanly, and Arpita Biswas, alert on the goal line, reacted quickest to prod the loose ball into the net, giving Bangladesh a deserved lead.
The advantage was doubled ten minutes later. Trishna Rani burst down the right flank and delivered a precise cross into the box, where Alpi Akhter timed her run perfectly and finished calmly to make it 2–0. Bangladesh went into the interval firmly in control, both on the scoreboard and in confidence.
At the other end, goalkeeper Iyarzan Begum played a crucial role in preserving the clean sheet. Within a five-minute spell in the first half, she denied India twice—first leaping to catch a dangerous direct free-kick, and then producing an excellent save to stop a long-range effort from Pritika Barma.
India emerged after the break with renewed urgency, pushing numbers forward in search of a goal. However, Bangladesh’s defence remained compact and disciplined, dealing effectively with crosses and long shots. The back line showed remarkable composure for a youth side, while the midfield worked tirelessly to break up play and slow the tempo whenever required. Ultimately, Bangladesh saw out the match with assurance to secure a fully deserved 2–0 victory.
Both Bangladesh and India are the reigning joint champions of the SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship, having shared the title in 2024. This year’s edition is being played in a league format among four teams—Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan—after Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives opted not to participate. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will meet in the final on 7 February.
SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship: Points Table
| Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| India | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Nepal | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bhutan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
With momentum firmly on their side, Bangladesh now appear strong contenders to reach the final and defend their championship status.