Internet Desk: The Indian women’s football team, maintaining their dominance over the SAFF championships, slaughtered Bangladesh 3-1 in the finals, at the Kanchenjungha Stadium in Shiliguri on Wednesday. It is their 4th SAFF title in 4 attempts. The girls improved their unbeaten streak to 19 matches on course to the title, out of which in 18 matches they came victorious.
India got the all important lead on the 12th minute itself when Indian striker Dangmei Grace tapped in an easy effort passed Bangladeshi keeper Sabina Akhtar.
It Clearly showed the scenario of the final. Bangladesh needed to adapt into attacking mindset as it was the final and it allowed India to utilize the width and space they were getting.
In the first 20 minutes, India had earned 4 corners and every time Bala Devi touched the ball, she created something out of nothing. In fact, Kamala Devi should have doubled the lead in the 17th minute when Bala set her a free-header, but it narrowly sailed out.
However, Bangladesh withstood the storm, regrouped, and eventually equalise in the 40th minute through Shopna as both Teams headed to the interval locked 1-1.
Changing over, India were again faster off the blocks. They pressed high and hard even as Bangladesh depended mostly on counter-attacks.
The break came in the 60th minute when the irrepressible Bala was pushed inside the box as the referee pointed to the spot. 2016 AIFF Player of the Year Sasmita Malik gleefully converted it.
With just 30 minutes remaining, it was quite a task for Bangladesh to come back. And it went worse for them seven minutes later when Goalkeeper Sabina, who was having a decent game till then, misjudged the bounce of a harmless Indumathi shot from long and it rolled in.
As India’s golden girls celebrated, Sabina hid her face in her gloves, quite understanding her mistake may rob her Country of the steam to fight back. Life at times can be so cruel.
Spurred, India did go all out as they smelt more. But this time, their perseverance didn’t yield any more goals.
It hardly mattered. It was fourth in a row for India, unbeaten in 19 matches and counting.