Bangladesh emerge group champions, reach semis

Sports Correspondent: Bangladesh beat hosts Nepal by 2-1 goals in the last group match of the six-nation SAFF U-15 Championship at ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal on Monday and emerged Group A champions with all-win record to reach the semifinals of the tournament.

In the day’s match, Ahad Shakil put Bangladesh ahead in the very 2nd minute of the match (1-0) while Jaan Limbu restored the parity for Nepal in the 36th minute (1-1).

Shakil scored the match-winning goal for Bangladesh in the 46th minute (2-1).

After the group stages, Bangladesh (Group A) and Pakistan (Group B) clinched the group crown with all-win run to qualify for the semifinals securing full six points from straight two encounters while Nepal (Group A) and India (Group B) finished group runners-up to reach the semis, collecting three points from two matches.

Bangladesh will play the first semifinal against India on Thursday (November 1) at 10:30 am while Nepal will face Pakistan in the 2nd semifinal at 2:30 pm on the same day and same venue.

Touring Bangladesh, which made a flying start in the three-team Group A crushing the Maldives by 9-0 goals in the opening match on Saturday featuring a hat-trick by Nihad Jaman, needed just a draw against hosts Nepal to clinch the group title as Nepal outplayed the Maldives by 4-0 goals in their first appearance last Thursday.

On the other hand, Pakistan clinched Group B title beating India by 2-1 goals and Bhutan by 4-0 goals while India finished Group B runners-up beating Bhutan by 4-0 goals.


risingbd/Dhaka/Oct 29, 2018/Aminul/AI