Kathmandu: Nepal emerged victorious in the opening match of the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship, overpowering Bhutan with a decisive 6-1 win. The match took place at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh, showcasing a stellar performance from Nepal’s Purnima Rai, who scored a hat-trick.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the game saw Bhutan’s sole goal scored by Kelden Wangmo in the 54th minute. Nepal’s Senu opened the scoring in the 9th minute, setting the tone for the match. Purnima Rai then extended the lead with a goal in the 18th minute, followed by another goal from Senu in the 45th minute, allowing Nepal to lead 3-0 at halftime.
Purnima Rai continued her impressive form in the second half, netting two additional goals in the 63rd and 88th minutes to complete her hat-trick and secure the victory for Nepal.
In another match of the championship, host Bangladesh delivered a dominant performance against Sri Lanka, winning with a score of 9-0.