Hat-tricks from Sirat Jahan Shopna and Marzia have fired Bangladesh to a resounding 17-0 win over Pakistan in their first match of the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship in Bhutan.
Shopna was on target for a staggering seven times while Marzia scored four goals and Sheuli Azim found the net twice at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu on Sunday.
Akhi Khatun, Mishrat Jahan Moushumi, Tohura Khatun and Krishna Rani Sarker scored one apiece for the team coached by Golam Rabbani Chhoton.
By handing the crushing defeat to Pakistan, Bangladesh have moved closer to sealing a spot in the semifinals.
They will take on Nepal in their second and last Group B match on Tuesday.
Marzia started the goal fest with a perfect shot following an attack through the right wing in the seventh minute. Shopna extended the lead three minutes later. After Marzia hit again in the 13th minute, Bangladesh almost confirmed the win by scoring five more goals in the first half.
Marzia sealed her hat-trick in the 22nd minute. Shopna, Sheuli and Mishrat’s goals took the scoreline to 7-0 then. Shopna earned her hat-trick with a header from a rebound after Maria Manda’s shot struck the woodwork by the end of the first half.
The second half brought no respite for the Pakistanis as Bangladesh continued scoring for fun. After Akhi’s strike in the 58th minute, Shopna scored again to make the scoreline 10-0.
When Krishna was fouled inside the D in the 69th minute, Sheuli made no mistake from the spot, according to a bdnews24 report.
Marzia, Shopna and Krishna were all on the scoresheet again in the next four minutes as Pakistan were overwhelmed by waves of Bangladesh attack. Two more strikes from Shopna and another from Tohura before the final whistle took the scoreline to 17-0.
The Bangladesh girls had recently handed Pakistan a humiliating 14-0 defeat in their way to the SAFF U-15 championship final.