Hosts Bangladesh emerged Group F champions with all-win record to reach the 2nd round of the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship beating upper ranked Vietnam by 2-0 goals in the last group match at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur here on Sunday.
Tohura Khatun and Ankhi Khatun scored for the home side, one in each half in a one-sided affair.
By virtue of the day’s well merited victory, Golam Rabbani Choton’s girls earned the right to play in the eight-team 2nd round of the AFC U-16 Women’s meet scheduled for Thailand from February 23 to March 3 next year.
Despite the day’s first defeat in the group match, Vietnam finished Group F runners-up also to reach the 2nd round berth as one of the best two runners-up teams of six Asian groups.
On completion of the six group matches on Sunday, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines qualified for the 2nd round of the meet.
In the day’s crucial match, forward Tohura Khatun put Bangladesh ahead in the 45th minute by a header from handshake distance, off a close range pass of Shamsunahar Jr from goal mouth melee (1-0).
Anthi Khatun sealed the fate of the scoring the 2nd goal for Bangladesh in the 64th minute by her 2nd attempt from goalmouth melee as her first attempt came her way from opponent custodian, following a corner kick of Maria Manda (2-0).
Bangladesh earned a deserving victory dominating the match all through against higher ranking Vietnam despite of depriving from two more goals due to off-side
Bangladesh, which earlier defeated Bahrain 10-0, Lebanon 8-0 and UAE 7-0, are in the 2nd slot in the points table behind Vietnam.
On other hand, Vietnam which beat UAE 4-0, Bahrain 14-0 and Lebanon 7-0, topped the group table despite of same points and same goals.
In Sunday’s other match, United Arab Emirates (UAE) tasted the first victory in the 4th and last group match beating all-losers Bahrain by 1-0 goal at the same venue Sunday morning.
