Bangladesh impress with runner-up finish in Women's Junior AHF Cup

Bangladesh Women's Under-21 hockey team became runners-up in the Women's Junior AHF Cup after a 7-1 win against Singapore in their last match in Singapore today. 

Penalty-corner specialist Orpita Pal displayed immaculate skill to score 10 goals (nine from penalty corners), the second-highest goal-scorer of the competition after Thailand's Noo-Kean Sudarat who struck 14.

Interestingly, Kona Akter, Airin Riya and Nadira Ema also showed their goal-scoring capacity, especially from open play, by netting five goals each in six matches. 

All four players were on the scoresheet in today's match in which Bangladesh took the lead in the seventh minute with a strike from Sanjida Moni before Kona, Airin, Nadira and Sonia Khatun netted one goal apiece to take a 6-0 lead by the 40th minute. 

Singapore then reimbursed a goal, courtesy of Lana Saiful but Orpita restored the advantage by converting a penalty corner five minutes from the final whistle.
Bangladesh needed only a draw against Singapore to cement a second-place finish behind champions-elect Chinese Taipei. However, the women in red and green did one better to cap off their campaign with a thumping win, their fifth in six matches in the seven-team competition. 

With only the experience of playing in the 2019 edition of Women's Junior Asia Cup and a five-a-side tournament in Oman, Bangladesh had set their sights on a top-four finish which would award them a place in the upcoming Women's Junior Asia Cup, a competition they've never qualified for before. But the charges of Zahid Hossain Raju bettered got more than they expected as they pulled off a few surprising results to not only confirm their maiden Junior Asia Cup berth (with a match in hand) but also finish second.

Bangladesh, comprising mostly of players from BKSP and a group of enthusiastic players groomed up by team manager Tariquzzaman Nannu, put on a brilliant show throughout the tournament following a nerve-wracking 5-4 win over a much stronger Thailand side in their opening fixture.

The women in red and green beat Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore comprehensively but lost 3-0 against eventual champions Chinese Taipei.