Girls brush Lebanon aside
Bangladesh demonstrated more synchronised performance in their second match of Group F of AFC U-16 Women's Championship Qualifiers, outplaying Lebanon 8-0 at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur yesterday.
The girls in red and green, who looked disorganised in their first match against minnows Bahrain despite winning 10-0, came strongly to display their natural performance in all departments and shrugged off any fear they had of Lebanon, who were believed to be a strong opponent due to their age-group women's football leagues at domestic circuit.
However, Maria Manda, Monica Chakma, Ritu Porno Chakma, Akhi Khatun, Anai Mogini and Sajeda proved too strong for their counterparts in skill, technique, running, power and agility.
Maria and Monica typically controlled the game in midfield while centre-back Akhi Khatun released some well-judged long balls for the forwards, who however did not disappoint a couple of hundred home crowd who defied the scorching heat to attend the match.
Sajeda and Shamsunnahar Jr scored a brace each while Tahura Khatun, right-back Anai and substitute Rojina Akhter scored a goal apiece in the one-sided affair. The margin of victory could have been bigger had the strikers not wasted some good opportunities. Bahrain defender Maria Slim struck her own net while attempting to clear a drive from Tahura.
After wasting a couple of easy chances, Sajeda, who came into the side in place of Anuching Mogini, made amends by shrugging off her marker to coolly place the ball to the left-hand side of goalkeeper Sina Breiche to give the hosts the lead in the 11th minute. And four more goals followed as the home side went into the break with a comfortable 5-0 lead.
After resumption, Bangladesh slowed down the pace of the match but created more chances than the first half, yet converted only three of those as substitutes Rehana Akhter, Mossammat Ilamoni and Rojina wasted some good chances. Ilamoni denied Sajeda of a hattrick by intercepting the latter's goal-bound drive.
“In the first match, our girls played hurriedly in face of negative football from Bahrain, but today the girls showed their real character and tried to show their natural performance without thinking of the result,” explained coach Golam Rabbani Choton at the post-match press briefing.
In the day's other match, Vietnam overwhelmed Bahrain 14-0, with Dang Thanh Thao scoring six goals to ensure their second win in as many matches. Bangladesh, Vietnam and Lebanon have six points each, but Bangladesh and Vietnam are jointly on top with same goal difference. Lebanon have played a game more than the other two teams.