U-16s lose final group match
The Bangladesh U-16 football side suffered a 2-0 defeat to India in their final group match of the SAFF U-16 Championship at the Nepal Army ground in Lalitpur, Nepal yesterday.
Bedashor Singh and Krishna Pandit struck goals in either half to help India emerge group B champions to set their semifinal clash against Afghanistan on Sunday while Group B runners-up Bangladesh will face hosts Nepal in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Having confirmed the semifinal berths, both Bangladesh and India started the final group match with an aim to avoid hosts Nepal in the semifinal, but it was India who drew first blood thanks to a free-kick goal from Bedashor.
Bangladesh had no alternative but to beat India in a bid to avoid Nepal, who have scored 11 goals in three matches, and they held their own against India before conceding a lead in the 43rd minute.
After resumption, Bangladesh pressed hard for an equaliser but Rene Koster's side could hardly split India's backline, instead conceding the second goal two minutes into stoppage time of the second half with Pandit sealing the fate of the game.
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