Hosts Bangladesh made a flying start to their AFC Under-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers with a thumping 3-0 win over Group C favourites Iran at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday.
Marzia Khatun, Moushumi Jahan and Tohura Khatun scored one goal apiece for the girls in Red and Green which also boosted their confidence to qualify for the final round in Thailand next year.
Bangladesh clearly dominated the first half and created series of chances but due to lack of finishing they remained goalless.
However, they continued to press hard in the second half, which eventually proved sufficient.
The hosts wasted a great opportunity to take the lead with only two minutes into the clock when Sirat Jahan Shopna shot wide of the post despite finding the Iran keeper in one-to-one situation.
Maria hit the woodwork from the top of the box in the seventh minute after Marzia’s free-kick from 20-yard rebounded off the wall.
The home side almost took the lead in the 18th minute when Maria’s close-range effort was saved brilliantly by Iran goalkeeper Maedeh Davaji following a free-kick of Marzia.
Davaji produced another scintillating save to deny Maria’s strike from the middle of the box after collecting the ball from Moushumi Jahan in the 47th minute.
Marzia gave Bangladesh the deserving lead in the 63rd minute when a long ball from Maria Manda was blocked by Iran defender Hanieh Khodaparasti and Marzia was there to poke the ball home.
Moushumi doubled the margin three minutes later when Sanjida set her up with a neat square pass and Moushumi fired the ball home with a nice right footed drive from the right corner of the box.
Marzia could bag her second of the day in the 76th minute when she tried a 35-yard out left footed effort but Iran keeper dived to her left to punch that away for a corner.
Substitute forward Tohura Khatun made it 3-0 in the 86th minute when her header on a Monika’s cross from the left flank found the back of the net.
Bangladesh will take on Singapore in their second match on Monday.
Meanwhile, in the day’s first match at the same venue, Chinese Taipei thrashed Kyrgyzstan 7-1 while United Arab Emirates played a 2-2 draw with Singapore in the following match of the day.
RESULT
Bangladesh U-16 Women 3 (Marzia 63, Moushumi 66, Tohura 86) v Iran U-16 Women – 0
-With New Age input
