IMAGE: Team India lift the SAFF U-18 Women's Champonship. Photograph: AIFF Media India lost 0-1 to Bangladesh but still emerged champions of the SAFF U-18 Women's Championships on account of a better goal difference here on Friday. India finished the championship with a goal difference of +11 in comparison to Bangladesh's +3. The Most Valuable Player of the Tournament and the highest goal scorer was Lynda Kom with five goals.
In the last league match of the tournament, Bangladesh scraped past India by a solitary goal. India, however, seized the initiative in the fifth minute when Shubhangi managed to find some space in the opposition box and went for a shot which went directly to Bangladesh custodian Rupna.
India were unlucky to be denied by the post in the 40th minute when Nitu, all in the clear, placed it past Rupna only to see the ball bounced off the post and straight into the hands of Bangladesh goalkeeper.
Changing over, India head coach Thomas Dennerby brought in Poonam in place of Shubhangi in the 46th minute. In the 60th minute, India captain Shilky Devi went for a shot from a long range but an agile Rupna was upto the task.
A couple of substitutions followed as Martina and Sunita were replaced by Naketa and Amisha respectively. With time running out for Bangladesh, they went for an all-out attack and Priyanka scored in the 74th minute with a shot from outside the box.
