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Bangladesh U-19 football team secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nepal to reach the final of the SAFF U-19 Championship, held at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
After a goalless first half, Ashikur Rahman and captain Nazmul Huda Faysal struck in quick succession in the second half to seal Bangladesh’s spot in the title decider, keeping their hopes alive of defending the regional crown.
Nepal started strongly, pressing high to disrupt Bangladesh’s build-up play and keeping the midfield under pressure. Despite that, Bangladesh’s front line, led by Faysal, showed flashes of danger. Rifat came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half, but his effort was denied by the Nepalese goalkeeper, while Nepal rattled the post once before the break.
The breakthrough came in the 73rd minute when Faysal delivered a pinpoint corner to the far post, where Ashikur Rahman rose to head home. Just seven minutes later, Faysal himself added the second, calmly finishing a squared pass from Md Manik.
Nepal pulled one back in the 86th minute through Sujan Dangal, setting up a nervy finish. But Bangladesh held firm, with Faysal nearly grabbing another in added time.
It was a composed and courageous performance from the young boys in red and green, showcasing maturity in knockout football. They now await the winner of the second semi-final as they prepare for a shot at the SAFF U-19 title.
