Fans in Dhaka throw stones and bottles on pitch
Dhaka, Feb 8: India were on Thursday declared joint winners of the SAFF Women’s Under-19 Football Championships with hosts Bangladesh though the visitors initially thought they have won the title through the toss of coins, in an unprecedented change of decision made by the match officials.
After a nail-biting encounter that saw both teams tied 11-11 after penalties, the match took an unexpected twist as India was declared the winner through a coin toss, a decision made by the referee.The announcement of India’s victory by coin toss ignited a firestorm of protest from the Bangladesh team, who vehemently contested the decision.
The frustration and disappointment among Bangladeshi fans boiled over, leading to scenes of chaos as stones and bottles were hurled onto the pitch in Dhaka.Despite the tumultuous atmosphere, the jubilant Indian team celebrated their victory amidst the mayhem.
However, the escalating situation prompted intervention from law enforcement officers, who rushed to the scene to restore order and control the agitated crowd.
As the Indian team made their way off the pitch, they found themselves unexpectedly barred from leaving the stadium premises, adding to the confusion and tension.
On the other hand, the Bangladesh team remained on the pitch, insisting on a resumption of the penalty shootout to determine the rightful winner.
After more than one hour, the match commissioner, who initially took the decision for tossing the coin, changed his decision and India and Bangladesh were declared joint winners.
“It was a good gesture from the All India Football Federation. We accepted the decision to declare both sides as joint winners,” an AIFF source told PTI. (Agencies)