Siliguri: A dominant India defeated Bangladesh 3-1 to win their fourth consecutive SAFF Women’s Football Championship title at the Kanchenjunga Stadium, here Wednesday. The Indian eves, in the process, are now unbeaten in 19 matches having won 18 and drawn one in the four editions of the tournament.
India’s first goal came in the 12th minute through striker Dangmei Grace, who got a slight touch and the ball slowly rolled into the empty net with rival goalkeeper Sabina Akhtar caught in a dilemma.
In the first 20 minutes, India had earned four corners and every time Bala Devi touched the ball, she created something out of nothing. She always had the Bangladesh defenders in a quandary.
In fact, Kamala Devi should have doubled the lead in the 17th minute when Bala gave her the opportunity for a free header, but it narrowly sailed over.
However, Bangladesh withstood the storm, regrouped, and eventually equalised in the 40th minute through Sirat Jahan Shopna.
After the change of ends, India were again faster off the blocks. The hosts pressed high and hard even as Bangladesh depended mostly on counter-attacks. The break came in the 60th minute when the irrepressible Bala was pushed inside the box as the referee pointed to the spot and 2016 ‘AIFF Player of the Year’, Sasmita Malik gleefully converted.
Seven minutes later when goalkeeper Sabina, who was having a decent game till then, misjudged the bounce of a harmless Indumathi shot from long and it rolled in.
PTI
