Sports

Bangladesh edge India 4-3 to finish SAFF U-17 runners-up

ABCB NEWS September 1, 2025

Sports desk: Bangladesh clinched a thrilling 4-3 victory over India in their final group-stage match of SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship, ending their campaign as runners-up.

Despite the win, the title went to India based on overall points.

The win came as sweet revenge after Bangladesh had lost 2-0 to India in the first leg.

Bangladesh began the tournament with a win over Bhutan and followed it up with a victory against Nepal.

However, they stumbled against India in the first leg. In the second leg, they bounced back by defeating Nepal again but dropped points with a draw against Bhutan; ultimately falling short of the title.

In Sunday’s match, Bangladesh struck early. Just 25 seconds into the game, Purnima Chakma headed in a goal from a Mamoni Chakma cross.

In the 7th minute, captain Arpita Biswas made a crucial save to deny India an equalizer, but defensive errors in 9th minute allowed India’s Alisha Lindo to level the score.

India missed a golden chance in 24th minute through Anushka, before Bangladesh regained the lead in the 34th minute. A cross from Purnima led to a fumble by Indian goalkeeper, which Alpi Akter capitalized on with a powerful finish.

Bangladesh went into halftime with a 2-1 lead. Just three minutes into the second half, Suravi Akand Priti extended the lead to 3-1, scoring off a Mamoni Chakma assist. But India was not done. In the 65th minute, Prakriti Burman pulled one back, narrowing the gap to 3-2.

In a nervy final stretch, Surovi missed a chance to seal the win and India’s captain Jhulan scored a stunning long-range goal to level the match at 3-3.

But the real drama unfolded in added time. In 95th minute, a shot from Surovi was initially blocked by Indian goalkeeper, only to deflect off a defender and roll into the net—securing a 4-3 win for Bangladesh.