2018 SAFF U-15 Championship: Bangladesh wins the trophy beating Pakistan by 3-2 goals in penalty shootout

Bangladesh Under-15 national football team emerged as an unbeaten champion after defeating Pakistan by 3-2 goals in the final match of the 2018 SAFF U-15 Championship at All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal on Saturday (November 3). With this victory, Bangladeshi youth not only finished the tournament with an all-win record but also took a sweet revenge of their 0-2 goals defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the SAFF U-16 Championship in 2011. It was not their first trophy in the South Asian age-based football competition as the boys in red and green also bagged the SAFF U-16 Championship title beating India in a tie breaker at their home ground in Sylhet. 

Haseeb Ahmed Khan put Bangladesh ahead scoring a goal in the 25^th minute, but Mohib Ullah of Pakistan equaled the score 1-1 in the 54^th minute after successfully converting a spot kick. As a result, the title-decider match ended in a draw in the regulation time, thus forcing it to roll into penalty shootout. Bangladeshi substitute goalkeeper, Mehedi Hasan, saved three penalties of Pakistan and ensured Bangladesh’s victory.

Earlier in the Saturday morning, India defeated the hosts Nepal by 1-0 in the 3^rd place deciding match at the same venue. Thanks to Thalacheu Vanlalruatfela’s lone goal in the 18^th minute, India finished third.

Bangladesh made it to the final after beating India by 4-2 goals in tiebreaker as the first semi-final between them was ended in 1-1 goals at ANFA Complex in Lalitpur on Thursday (November 1). However, Pakistan made their entry into the final round easily after eliminating Nepal by 4-0 in the second semi-final match at the same venue.

Bangladesh President, Md Abdul Hamid, and Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday congratulated the young Tigers for their victory. Both the President and Prime minister greeted the players, coach and officials of the team and also the officials of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for this achievement. 

Source- https://en.prothomalo.com/sports/news/185899/Bangladesh-boys-lift-SAFF-title-beating-Pakistan