SAFF U-19 Women’s: Defending Champs Bangladesh Crush Bhutan 12-0

In the tournament's opening match held in Pokhara, Nepal, on Saturday, the "Red and Greens" decimated Bhutan with a massive 12-0 victory. After scoring four goals in the first half, Bangladesh added eight more in a clinical second-half performance.

While Bhutan offered some resistance early on, their defense crumbled after Bangladesh broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. What followed was a goal fest for the Bangladeshi side. Munki Akhter led the charge with four goals, while both Trishna Rani and Alpi Akhter completed their respective hat-tricks. Captain Arpita Biswas and Mamuni Chakma contributed one goal each to the tally. Notably, the girls added three goals during injury time alone, leaving the Bhutanese side completely overwhelmed.

In the previous edition, Bangladesh and India were declared joint champions. This year, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has set its sights on claiming the title outright. The team traveled to Nepal with a special tactical blueprint designed by the senior national team's head coach, the results of which were evident in this opening fixture.

In this four-nation tournament, the top two teams from the round-robin league phase will face off in the final. This 12-goal victory provides a massive psychological boost for Bangladesh as they prepare to face their toughest rivals, India, on February 2.