India beat BD 3-1 in final to win SAFF Women’s Championships
India clinched the SAFF Women’s Championships football title for the sixth time and their first after seven years, with a dominant 3-1 win over Bangladesh at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa on Saturday.
Pyari Xaxa (42′), Sanfida Nongrum (46′) and Lynda Kom (82′) scored for the Indian women’s football team while Ritu Porna Chakma (45+1′) netted an equaliser for the visitors in the summit clash.
The victory marked a record-extending sixth SAFF Women’s Championship crown for India but the first since 2019. Bangladesh had claimed the last two editions played in 2022 and 2024.
World No. 69 India started on the front foot with the home crowd egging them on and looked more adventurous in the opening half against the 112th-ranked Bangladesh.
The defending champions, however, almost took the lead against the run of play when Ritu Porna Chakma almost scored an Olimpico – straight from the corner – just like she had done against Nepal in the semi-finals.
Luckily for India, it just went over the crossbar with their goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu watching on.
Following the near miss, India intensified their attack and went ahead just before the half-time whistle.
Pyari Xaxa did well to create space for a shot and had luck in her favour when her attempt took a deflection off Bangladesh defender Surovi Akter and looped over a helpless Mile Akter, who was off his line.
The lead, though, barely lasted five minutes. In added time of the first half, Ritu Porna drove a grounded shot past Panthoi to ensure the two teams headed into the break with scores level at 1-1.
India, however, reclaimed their lead seconds after the restart.
Pyari Xaxa came in with the assist after racing down the right flank and sending a probing cross inside the box. Sanfida Nongrum, who scored India’s winner against Bhutan in the semi-finals, positioned herself well and headed in to make it 2-1.
The goal at the decisive stage gave India the reins of the match. With Bangladesh sending bodies forward in search of a leveller, it left gaps for Indian forwards.
Sanfida and Malavika P made full use of the openings and kept creating chances. The pressure finally paid off towards the end, as Lynda Kom pounced on a defensive mistake by the visitors to make it 3-1 and essentially sealed the game.
The goal in the final was the only one India conceded throughout the course of the football tournament. The Blue Tigresses were also dominant going forward, scoring 18 goals in four matches.
