Suinu Pru Marma and Sabina Akhter scored one goal each to help Bangladesh mark their debut in the SAFF Women’s Championship with a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka at the Cox’s Bazar stadium on Monday.
Earlier, SA Games gold medallists India thrashed newcomers Bhutan by a massive 18-0 margin at the same venue.
Bangladesh had an identical 2-0 win over Sri Lanka in the SA Games and so the hosts had always some psychological advantage before going into the game.
Bangladesh put Sri Lanka under pressure with a wave of attack from the very beginning and got their deserved reward when local girl Suinu Pru Marma’s attempt from outside the penalty area ended up in the back of the net in the 11th minute. Suinu beat her rival goalkeeper Sehani with a lofted left-footer to put her side ahead.
Suinu took another long-range shot on goal on 27 minutes but this time Sehani blocked it confidently. Janu headed the rebound but Bangladesh had to go for the breather with a 1-0 lead as it was not strong enough to beat an active Sehani.
Bangladesh adopted a defensive strategy in the second half and the ball was in the midfield most of the time until Sabina unsettled Sri Lanka’s defence with a solo effort in the 70th minute. She had only Sehani to beat but failed to keep her shot on post.
The striker with a boy-cut hairstyle, however, did not a waste a similar chance that came her way just in the next minute as she kept her cool to dodge Sehani and double the lead.
Sabina got the ball near the midfield and penetrated the opposition penalty zone which was almost empty as Sri Lanka, desperate for an equaliser, were playing all-out.
Bangladesh became more defensive after the second goal and they succeeded in protecting their fort until referee Ripa Binte Ghani blew the final whistle.
In the day’s other match, South Asian champions India swamped novice Bhutan 18-0 with Sushmita scoring as many as seven goals. The match saw two more hat-tricks apart from Sashmita’s – one from Bala Devi, who netted five in all, and the other from Tababi, who scored four goals.
Gayatri and Pinki added two more to add to the misery of Bhutan.
Pakistan will meet Maldives in today’s first match while Nepal will take on Afghanistan in the other game.
