SAFF U-20 Women's Championship: Nepal Rains Goals Against Sri Lanka in First Half
Kathmandu, In a stunning first-half performance at the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship in Dhaka, Nepal surged to a 4-0 lead against Sri Lanka at the Bashundhara Sports Ground. The match, held on Thursday, saw Purnima Rai break the deadlock in the 15th minute, notching her 7th goal of the tournament. She had previously scored 4 goals against Bhutan and 2 against Sri Lanka in earlier games. Kusum Khatiwada doubled Nepal’s lead in the 35th minute, followed by a brilliant free-kick goal from Sarita Nath in the 42nd minute. Just two minutes later, Kusum struck again, sealing her brace and solidifying Nepal’s commanding position.
Tournament Standings and Format
The championship features a double round-robin format among four teams, with the top-ranked team after all matches claiming the title. Currently, hosts Bangladesh lead with 9 points, while Nepal sits second with 6 points. Bhutan follows in third place with 3 points, and Sri Lanka remains at the bottom with 0 points.
Nepal’s Campaign So Far
Nepal began their campaign with a 6-1 thrashing of Bhutan but suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat against Bangladesh in their second match. The team’s strong performance against Sri Lanka keeps them in contention for the championship. In another fixture scheduled for later in the day, Bangladesh will take on Bhutan, with the results further shaping the tournament’s outcome.
Looking Ahead
With this dominant display, Nepal aims to maintain momentum and secure crucial wins in their remaining matches to challenge Bangladesh for the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship title. The upcoming games will be decisive in determining the final standings.
