Mosammat Sagorika, Bangladesh’s No. 10, was sent off with a red card in the 56th minute when the hosts faced Nepal in the first round of the SAFF U20 Women’s Championship on July 13. Sagorika was shown red alongside Nepal’s Simran Rai as the duo confronted each other physically.

The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) later announced that Sagorika and Rai, for their inappropriate behaviour, were suspended for three matches and were fined USD 500 each. Thus, after missing their country’s second round matches against Bhutan and Sri Lanka, they returned on the field only for the last match of the tournament on Monday, and Sagorika was the one who denied Nepal the title.

Nepal, who had lost the first-round fixture against Bangladesh 2-3, had to win the final group-stage match against Bangladesh to lift the title; a draw would have the hosts as the winner based on points.

However, the visitors could not put up a good fight. Sagorika was the only name in the scoresheet as the hosts defeated Nepal 4-0 at the Dhaka-based Bashundhara Kings Arena. Bangladesh accumulated 18 points from six wins in six games to win the title as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Sagorika opened the goal tally in the beginning of the eighth minute. She timed her run perfectly to latch onto a through ball, outran the last defender, and as the goalkeeper rushed out of the box to intercept, she calmly nudged the ball past her. With the net wide open, she slotted it home with ease.

It was the only goal in the first half.

Sagorika scored her, and the team’s, second goal in the 50th minute. Making a beautiful turn to leave Rai awestruck just outside the box, Sagorika struck the ball across the goalline through a tight angle as goalie Sujata Tamang was coming forward.

Eight minutes later, Sagorika, again finding green grass ahead of her, saw Tamang coming forward and struck the ball above her to complete her hat-trick and take the game away from Nepal.

Tamang was again ahead, near the penalty spot, when Sagorika got a beautiful short pass from Most Munki Akhter in the 77th minute; she capitalised on it to score her fourth goal.

It was not that Nepal did not have a single chance to deny the hosts a clean sheet. Prioritising long passes rather than combinations, Nepal could reach the opponent’s box a couple of times, but they could not capitalise on them.

On the other hand, the Tigresses, who were technically far better than the visitors, had more chances to extend the lead further. Sagorika alone had chances to complete a double hat-trick, let alone the chances missed by her teammates.

While Nepal were denied the title, they didn’t walk home empty-handed as Purnima Rai, with 10 goals in six games, received the Highest Goal Scorer Award.