In a nail-biting encounter at the U-20 Women’s SAFF Championship, Bangladesh clinched a dramatic 3-2 win over Nepal, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Trishna Rani in stoppage time.

Coach Peter Butler made two changes to the starting XI, bringing in Barna Khatun and Shanti Mardi for Umhela Marma and Rupa Akter. Bangladesh started strong, and in the 13th minute, a slick move down the left by Sagrika ended with her teammate Munki’s shot being cleared off the line. Sinha was quick to capitalize on the rebound, slotting home her second goal of the tournament.

Nepal responded aggressively, with Anisha Rai’s free-kick rattling the post at 27 minutes and goalkeeper Sorna Rani pulling off crucial saves to keep Bangladesh ahead. Sagrika doubled the lead in the 37th minute with a clinical finish, but Nepal’s resilience paid off in the second half.

The game turned intense in the 56th minute when both teams were reduced to 10 players after red cards for Sagrika and Shimran Rai. Nepal fought back valiantly, scoring a penalty in the 77th minute and leveling the match in the 86th minute with a spectacular strike.

Just when it looked like the points would be shared, Trishna Rani struck a stunning goal deep into added time, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and securing a vital win for Bangladesh.

The tournament features four teams – Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan – battling it out in a double round-robin format. With this win, Bangladesh cements their status as favorites to defend their title on home turf.