Young Bangladesh booters roar back, beat India in penalties to retain Saff U-20 title
Bangladesh defeated India by 4-3 goals in tiebreaker
The Bangladesh Under-20 football team successfully defended their SAFF U-20 Championship crown after defeating India 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout at the National Football Stadium in Malé.
After a goalless 90 minutes, both sides were locked in a stalemate, setting the stage for a nail-biting shootout.
Bangladesh's goalkeeper Mahin emerged as the decisive figure, making a crucial save that shifted the momentum in favour of the defending champions.
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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has congratulated the Bangladesh team for winning the champion title.
Under intense pressure, Murshed, Chandon Roy, and Abdul Fahim calmly converted their penalties, while India struggled, missing one attempt and seeing another strike the crossbar.
The decisive moment came when Ronan Sullivan executed a composed Panenka to secure victory, prompting ecstatic celebrations on and off the pitch. Sullivan sprinted to the stands, removing his shirt in jubilation, as teammates joined him in an outpouring of emotion.
During regular play, both teams created chances, but Bangladesh's organised defence and quick counter-attacks kept the Indian forwards from breaking the deadlock.
With this win, Bangladesh U-20s not only retained their title but did so with a display of resilience and composure, capping a memorable campaign.
