Absolute dominance was the name of the game for the India U-19 Women’s Team, who began their SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship campaign with a 10-0 victory against Bhutan at the BSSSMK Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday, February 2, 2024. The winners led 4-0 at the half-time.

Pooja and Sibani Devi were the stars of the show, with the former scoring four goals and the latter netting a first-half hat-trick. 

Meanwhile, striker Sulanjana Raul and substitutes Menaka Lourembam and Arina Devi added three more to take India’s tally into double figures.

Goalkeeper Anika Devi and substitute Arina Devi made their junior international debuts against Bhutan on Friday. India with play their next match against Bangladesh on Sunday, 4th February. 

India’s fourth was perhaps the best goal of the evening, where the team’s captain Nitu Linda, surrounded by opponents in the middle of the park, produced a defense-splitting through ball that sent Sibani behind the Bhutan defence, beating the offside trap. With Yangzom rushing at her, Sibani chipped it over the Bhutan keeper to complete her hat-trick in the 36th minute.