SAFF U-15 Champs: Bangladesh eliminated losing 0-4 to India

Two time champions Bangladesh made their early exit from the five-nation SAFF Under-15 Championship after conceding a 0-4 goal defeat against their giant neighbors India in the last league match on Thursday (Aug 29) at the Kalyani Stadium in Nadia District of West Bengal, India.

This was the 2nd successive defeat for defending champions Bangladesh after suffering a 1-4 goal defeat against Himalayan nation Nepal on August 27.

Bangladesh needed an outright victory against India to stay in the final in the day’s do or die match.

With the day’s well merited victory, hosts India smartly reached the final with all-win record securing all 12 points from four matches without conceding any goal and will play final on Saturday (Aug 31) against Himalayan nation Nepal, which qualified for the final crushing Bhutany 5-0 in their last league match, also on Thursday.

Himansu Jangra scored a hat-trick with goals in the 29th, 74th and 79th minutes while Shunvo Paul scored one goal for hosts in the 89th minute.

For Nepal, captain Pradip Lamsal scored twice while Niranjan Khatri, Ashim Rai, Kris Sapkota and Sugam Jimee scored one goal each.

India stormed into the final with one match to spare crushing Sri Lanka by 5-0 goals on Tuesday after beating Nepal by 5-0 goals and Bhutan by 7-0 goals.

Earlier, holders Bangladesh made a flying start in the ongoing South Asian Junior soccer meet beating Bhutan by 5-2 goals in their first match on August 23 and crushing Sri Lanka by 7-1 goals on August 25 before conceding 1-4 defeat against Nepal

On the way to the final, Nepal beat Sri Lanka 2-0, defeated Bangladesh 4-1 and outplayed Bhutan by 5-0 goals, despite making a frustrating start of conceding 0-5 goals defeat against hosts India in the opening match.

Bangladesh team will return home Friday.