Bangladesh begin U-15 SAFF Women's Championship with 8-0 victory 

Substitute Sauravi Akanda Prity fired home a hattrick to power hosts Bangladesh to a massive 8-0 win against Bhutan in the opening match of the SAFF U-15 Women's Championship at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Tuesday.

Umehla Marma also netted twice while Thuinuye Marma, Joynob Bibi Rita and substitute Kanon Rani Bahadur got their names on the scoresheet in a one-sided affair. The Bhutanese players appeared out of breath in the second half, with the girls in red and green cashing in on almost every transition as they added five goals before the final whistle.

Although there was apprehension about how the inexperienced Bangladesh team would perform in their maiden international match, Golam Rabbani Choton's charges banished those fears as they notched their second-biggest in the tournament's history, second only to a 14-0 win over Pakistan in the second edition of the championship in 2018.

The girls did not have perfect technique, positioning or build-up play, but looked good in terms of fitness. A year-long training programme gave them the edge although Bhutan fought neck-to-neck for the first 20 minutes. However, five pairs of fresh legs were introduced in the second half and that changed the complexion of the game.

"As they were playing their first international match, one thing to see was how the girls coped. They faced some problems in the first 20-25 minutes before adapting well and playing according to the plan till the final whistle," Choton said at the post-match conference.

"We said before that this group is talented but they need to improve in every aspect -- technically, tactically, mentally and physically. I think the experienced gathered today will help them in the upcoming match," Choton said, adding that he did not expect such a big win.