Sagorika hits hat-trick: Bangladesh women retain SAFF U-20 Champ title
Sabbir Hossain :
Bangladesh Under-20 Women’s Football team retained the title of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-20 Women’s Championship defeating Nepal Under-20 Women’s Football team by four goals to nil in their sixth and last match at Bashundhara Kings Arena in the capital on Tuesday. Ace striker Sagorika scored a hat-trick with four goals.
Bangladesh women became champions for five times in the six edition of the South Asian age group football competition for women.
Unbeaten Bangladesh bagged 18 points from six matches, while Nepal, the runners-up of the meet gained 12 points from as many outings.
Bangladesh made an auspicious start in the SAFF Women’s Championship as they eased past Sri Lanka 9-1 in their first match at the same venue on July 11. Sagorika also hit a hat-trick in that match.
Sagorika was showed red card in their second match against Nepal on July 13. She was banned for three matches. After that she showed a spectacular return in the field scoring all the goals to win the last match against Nepal.
Bangladesh led the first half 1-0.
Sagorika put her team ahead by a spectacular angular shot in the eighth minute of the play. Sagorika got the ball on her way from a through pass of her teammate from the midfield and the Nepalese custodian advanced but she failed to thwart Sagorika.
After the lemon-break, Sagorika doubled the margin by a forceful shot using a pass of her teammate in the 51st minute of the clash. After seven minutes, Sagorika got a longpass from her teammate and she found the net after hitting over the Nepalese advanced custodian and full-filled her hat-trick.
Sagorika was deprived from another goal in the 71st minute. She got a volley from her teammate and she found the net by a header but the lineswoman showed the sign of red card.
Sagorika sealed the fate of the match by an eye-catching shot using a cross of her teammate Munki Akhter in the 77th minute of the play.