Thimpu, Aug 23: There was some sense of redemption for the Indian girls when they defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship on Friday. Last year in the U16 tournament in Nepal, they had lost to them twice — in the group stage and the final. This win not only handed the Young Tigresses three points, but also instilled a stronger belief that they can not only win against tough opponents, but also win dominantly.
“The one thing on my mind before I went onto the field was that last year we had lost both matches against Bangladesh in the SAFF U16, so I wanted to go in, score, and make a difference because it was such an important game,” said Bonifilia Shullai, who came on as a substitute and scored the second goal in the 76th minute. “When we went up for that corner, I looked around in the box and all of our players who lost the final were there. I remember most of the Bangladesh players too,” the 15-year-old midfielder shared.
The Bangladesh defence was left stunned when Bonifilia sneaked in unmarked at the far post, stuck her leg out and volleyed in fellow Meghalaya teammate Alisha Lyngdoh’s corner.
“I would like to thank God because he’s given me the strength and the health so that I can be fit to play this game well. Our team has been working very hard, and they deserve the win. I would like to thank all my teammates, coaches, and staff who supported me and gave me this chance. I feel more confident and boosted for the upcoming matches,” added Bonifilia.
Forward Pearl Fernandes, who opened the scoring in the 14th minute, was also part of last year’s squad and felt a huge relief after her left-footed shot found the net. She sank to her knees, thanked God, and let her teammates bury her with hugs. (IANS)
