Shanti hits hat-trick: BD women retain supremacy in SAFF U-20 Champ

Sports Reporter :

Bangladesh Under-20 Women’s Football team retained their supremacy in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-20 Women’s Championship defeating Bhutan Under-20 Women’s Football team 4-1 in their third match at the Bashundhara Kings Arena and at the Practice Ground of Bashundhara Kings Arena in the capital on Tuesday.

Shanti Marda hit a hat-trick for her team. Bangladesh bagged maximum nine points from three matches.

The first-half match was held at the rain-soaked Bashundhara Kings Arena. The field became unplayable before the lemon-break.

Thus, the rest of the match was held at the Practice Ground of Bashundhara Kings Arena. The Practice Ground is a turf. So, there was no chance for this ground to be muddy. Bangladesh led the first half 1-0.

Shanti Mardi put her team ahead by her third attempt in the 7th minute of the match. But it rained heavily. Both teams played amid the torrent rain.

But the field became unplayable due to heavy rain before the lemon-break. The groundsmen tried their level best to make the field playable.

The match commissioner discussed with the players of both teams and then it was decided that the rest of the match would be held at the Practice Ground of Bashundhara Kings Arena. After three hours the second-half play was started.

Wangmo of Bhutan leveled the margin by a placing shot in the 53rd minute of the match.

Shanti Mardi made it 2-1 by a placing shot using a corner kick in the 57th minute of the game.

Munki Akter increased the tally into 3-1 in the 76th minute of the play.

Shanti Mardi fulfilled her hat-trick and also sealed the fate of the match by a forceful shot capitalising a cross of her teammate Umehla Marma in the 79th minute of the match.

Earlier, Bangladesh thrashed Sri Lanka 9-1 in their first match on July 11 at Bashundhara Kings Arena.

Bangladesh beat Nepal by 3-2 goals in their second match on July 13 at the same venue.