Bangladesh beats Nepal to reach SAFF final

Bangladesh women's football team has once again proved its dominance in South Asian football, advancing to the SAFF Women's Championship final for the third consecutive time after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Nepal in the semi-final.

The match was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Wednesday, June 3. Despite conceding an early goal, the women in red and green made a stunning comeback to secure the win.

Nepal took the lead in the 23rd minute when Gita Rana scored from a corner kick taken by Dipa Shahi. Bangladesh came under pressure after conceding and spent much of the first half defending against Nepalese attacks.

However, in first-half stoppage time, Rituparna Chakma produced a magical goal to bring Bangladesh back into the match. She scored an "Olympic goal" directly from a corner kick, levelling the score at 1-1 heading into the break.

Both sides created multiple chances in the second half but struggled to find the net. In the 78th minute, Sagorika missed a golden opportunity as Nepal's captain and goalkeeper Anjali Subba brilliantly saved her shot.

Just as the match seemed headed for extra time, Sagorika made amends in added time. She found the back of the net under pressure from two Nepalese defenders after a pass from Shamsunnahar Jr., putting Bangladesh ahead 2-1.

The scoreline remained unchanged, securing Bangladesh's place in their third consecutive SAFF Women's Championship final.

Rituparna Chakma and Sagorika scored for Bangladesh, while Gita Rana netted Nepal's lone goal.

The women in red and green are now just one step away from retaining their crown of supremacy in South Asian women's football for another four years.