Bangladesh’s U-20 women’s football team stormed into a commanding position in the AFC Women’s U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers with a dominant 8-0 victory over East Timor in their second group stage match held in Laos on Friday.
The emphatic win followed their 3-1 triumph over hosts Laos in their opening fixture, propelling Bangladesh to the top of Group H with a maximum six points from two matches.
Despite an aggressive start, Bangladesh had to wait until the 20th minute to break the deadlock, when Sinha Jahan Shikha found the back of the net to give her side the lead. The floodgates began to open shortly after.
In the 32nd minute Shanti Mardi stunned the opposition with a rare Olympic goal - a direct score from a corner kick that curled into the net without any touch from her teammates. The spectacular strike highlighted Bangladesh’s growing confidence.
Just before halftime, Nabiron and Afaida Khandokar added two more goals in quick succession, sending Bangladesh into the break with a commanding 4-0 advantage.
Head coach Peter Butler introduced several fresh players in the second half to maintain intensity, and the strategy paid off handsomely.
Trishna Rani emerged as the star of the match, scoring her second goal in the 57th minute to make it 5-0. She completed her hat-trick in the 83rd minute, becoming the first Bangladeshi player to achieve the feat in this qualifying campaign.
Meanwhile, Sagarika also enjoyed a dream day in front of goal, netting a brace, including her third in the 73rd minute, to register her own hat-trick.
Substitute Munni Akhter capped off the rout with a goal deep into stoppage time, sealing an 8-0 landslide.
With two comprehensive wins, Bangladesh sits firmly at the top of Group H. South Korea is set to face Laos later today, and the group’s final standings will likely be decided in the much-anticipated showdown between Bangladesh and South Korea on August 10.
The winner of the group will advance directly to the final round of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2024, to be held in Thailand. Additionally, the best three runners-up across all groups will also qualify.
Bangladesh’s impressive performances have reignited hopes of making history by reaching the continental finals for the first time. With momentum on their side, the young Tigresses are now just one step away from turning dreams into reality.