Sabina leads Bangladesh back to winning ways

Bangladesh rediscovered their winning rhythm in style at the SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship, brushing aside Nepal 3–0 at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, with captain Sabina Khatun leading from the front in an assured team performance.

After a mixed start to the tournament, Sabina’s side had opened their campaign with a 3–1 victory over India before being held to a 3–3 draw by Bhutan. The third outing, however, saw Bangladesh regain momentum with a composed and dominant display.

From the opening whistle, Bangladesh played with attacking intent and controlled the tempo of the match. They nearly took the lead inside the first five minutes when Matsushima Sumaya set up Sabina in front of goal, but the captain failed to convert the clear opportunity.

Sabina made amends in the 13th minute, collecting a precise pass from Krishna Rani Sarkar, rounding the Nepal goalkeeper and finishing calmly from outside the box to put Bangladesh ahead. Five minutes later, Krishna Rani doubled the advantage, cutting past a defender and unleashing a powerful shot from outside the area that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Nepal attempted to regroup by changing their goalkeeper, but Bangladesh continued to dominate proceedings. In the 33rd minute, Sumaya once again turned provider as her assist allowed Lipi Akter to create space inside the box and slot home a composed finish, sealing a comprehensive 3–0 victory.

After three matches, Bangladesh now have seven points from three outings and will look to build on this performance when they face Sri Lanka in their fourth league match on Wednesday.