Nepali girls crush Sri Lanka 7–0

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 18: Nepal cruised to a dominant 7–0 victory over Sri Lanka in the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship on Thursday in Dhaka, Bangladesh, securing back-to-back wins against the islanders.

The result gives Nepal nine points from three wins in four matches. Their only defeat came against hosts Bangladesh.

Samikshya Magar and Kusum Khatiwada each scored twice, while Purnima Rai, Sarita Kumari Nath and Birsana Chaudhary added one apiece at Ground 2 of the Bashundhara Kings Arena.

Nepal will next face Bhutan on Saturday. They beat Bhutan 6–1 in their opening match, lost 3–2 to Bangladesh in their second, and bounced back strongly with a 7–0 rout of Sri Lanka.

Purnima opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Kusum doubled the lead in the 35th and Sarita added the third just seven minutes later. Kusum struck again in the 44th to send Nepal into half-time with a 4–0 lead.

Birsana converted a penalty in the 67th minute to make it five. Samikshya then netted twice within four minutes to complete the scoring. She first netted in 74th and added another in 78th minute. 

Nepal nearly had an eighth, but Sushila KC’s last-minute penalty was saved by Sri Lankan goalkeeper Tharushika Dodamgodage.