Nepal
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Sri Lanka
Maldives
Yujal Shrestha, ANFA Media
March 20, 2019 - India for the fifth time booked their place in the SAFF Women’s Championship final and find a meeting with Nepal after the defending champion proved too strong for Bangladesh at Sahid Rangshala today.
Indumathi Kathiresan scored twice while Dalima Chhibber and Manisha got on the scresheet too.
India took the lead with 17th minutes gone when Sanju’s corner got spilled by the Bangladeshi custodian, with Dalima Chhibber arriving at pace to direct the ball into the post.
India doubled their advantage after five minute with Indumathi Kathiresan.
Kathiresan scored a brace for India but Sanju was brilliant all game in making the match allowing two goals.
Indumathi Kathiresan netted her second later in 37th minute while Manisha in the 90+2’ minute sealed a 4-0 victory.
Yujal Shrestha, ANFA Media
March 20, 2019 - Nepal produced an empathic second half display as Punam Jargha Magar and Rekha Poudel scored their first international goal in thumping 4-0 win over Sri Lanka in the first SAFF Women’s Championship semifinal.
Nepal will face the winner of the second semifinal between India and Bangladesh later in the day.
Nepal started better, creating the openings in 11th minute with Skipper Niru Thapa going close from Anita Basnet’s left corner, for her top bar header to miss the target.
Nepal frontlines all combined to score a simply brilliant goal before just four minutes to half time.
Gita Rana found Skipper Niru Thapa with a delicious free kick and the skipper, sprinkled in a brilliant bit of pass-work with an overhead kick intending to find Sabitra Bhandari a header, but Punam Jargha Magar unsurprisingly applied the finish in the 42nd minute of the match.
Nepal desperately searched for a goal earlier in the first half but their efforts were in vain.
Anita Basnet doubled the home side’s lead with a smart finish from Rekha Poudel’s pass in the 73rd minute.
In the 82nd minute, Sabitra Bhandari provided the third finish for flowing Nepal.
Anita Basnet’s delivery from the right flank was headed in at the near post by Sabitra Bhandari.
Rekha Poudel in the 86th minute sealed the win as Nepal made it back-back victories in the championship without conceding a goal.
Yujal Shrestha, ANFA Media
March 17, 2019 - India ousted Sri Lanka 5-0 in their last group match of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2019 held today in Biratnagar.
India and Sri Lanka had already booked their berth in the last four from Group ‘B’.
Grace Dangmei opened the scoring for India in the 4th minute before Sandhya Ranganathan doubled their advantage.
Dangmei who was left unmarked found a header off Sanju’s rebound.
Sandhya Ranganathan in 7th minute grabbed second goal for India with a lovely finish. But that was a product of Sanju assist to spilt backline, putting the ball between three defenders.
In 36th minute, Sanju again led the charge feeding Indumathi Kathiresan with the ball after making long run from the left.
The fourth goal for India came from a penalty in the 44th minute after they were awarded a penalty after Sri Lankan defender Rushani Gunawardana handled the ball inside the box. Sangita Basfore, who stepped in for the kick made no mistake in the chance and led India 4-0.
Three minutes later, Ratanbala Devi Nongmaithem netted the fifth for India.
India will now face Bangladesh while Nepal will take on Sri Lanka in the semifinals of the championship on March 20.
Yujal Shrestha, ANFA Media
Nepal has progressed as the Group ‘A’ winner of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2019 after a 3-0 win over Bangladesh at the Sahid Rangashala today.
Both the teams had booked their spots in the semifinals of the championship by winning against Bhutan in their previous match.
Nepal started the match like a team short on quality of confidence as they begin with threatening opponents post from the very start.
Nepal’s display was all the more impressive while Sabitra Bhandrai was outstanding through the match. Bhandari not only scored a goal but also assisted a goal in the win for Nepal.
Bangladeshi defender Masura Parvin gifted Nepal a lead in the 6th minute, when Man Maya Limbu send a long ball towards Sabitra Bhandari and Parvin heads the ball into her own post.
Sabitra gave Nepal a 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute as she tucked the ball into the net from tight angle after she was deprived a shot by Nilufa Yesmin Nila earlier in fifth minute.
Right after five minute, Sabitra led another devastating counter attack running with the ball before releasing an angled pass to the right for Manjali Kuamri Yonjan, who swept a low left-footed shot through Rupna Chakma.
