Sabina scores hattrick as Bangladesh hit Pakistan for six

Sabina Khatun scored a hattrick as Bangladesh moved to the top of Group A of SAFF Women's Championship with a 6-0 thrashing of Pakistan in Kathmandu on Saturday.

Coming on the back of a brace in their 3-0 opening-game win over Maldives, Bangladesh skipper Sabina turned on the style at the Dasarath Rangasala and scored two in the first half after Monika Chakma had given the women in red and green the lead in the third minute and Sirat Jahan Swapna extended the advantage in the 28th minute.

The victory put Bangladesh in pole position of Group A with six points from two games. Five-time champions India, who had beaten Pakistan 3-0 in the group opener, sit in second position and are scheduled to meet Maldives later today.

A win for India would mean both Bangladesh and India would be through to the semifinals, the group position to be decided after a game between these two sides on Tuesday.

Sabina scored her first right after the half-hour mark, poking home a rebound after Monika's initial shot was only half-blocked. The veteran striker, who is Bangladesh's all-time leading scorer in international football, male or female, with 31 goals in 44 appearances, doubled her tally four minutes later smashing home from close range following a cutback from Sanjida Akhter.

Bangladesh fans waving the national flag at the gallery. Photo: SAFF

Sabina completed her hattrick with a brilliant guiding header on a cross from Monika 13 minutes after restart.

Although Sabina was taken off after 72 minutes along with a couple of more forwards, Bangladesh were not done scoring yet. The last and arguably the best goal of the game came on 77 minutes when Rituporna Chakma, in as a substitute, turned on her heels at the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful left-footed attempt that sailed into the top left corner of the Pakistan net.