India Crushes Bhutan 5-0 In SAFF U17 Women's Championship

Last Updated:August 27, 2025, 22:21 IST

India thrashed Bhutan 5-0 in the SAFF U17 Women's Championship at Changlimithang Stadium, with Anushka Kumari scoring twice.

Indian players all smiles after their win over Bhutan. (SAAF)

India ruthlessly defeated Bhutan 5-0 in their fourth match of the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship at Changlimithang Stadium on Wednesday.

The Young Tigresses led 3-0 at halftime.

This was their second encounter in four days, with India having previously secured a commanding 8-0 victory.

Indian forward Anushka Kumari (4′, 16′) continued her impressive form, scoring twice more on Wednesday and assisting the fifth goal, bringing her tournament tally to seven goals.

Shveta Rani (24′), Julan Nongmaithem (77′), and Nira Chanu Longjam (90+5′) scored the other goals.

With this emphatic victory, India achieved four wins from as many matches, scoring 22 goals without conceding any, solidifying their position at the top of the table.

India now leads the group with 12 points from four matches, followed by Bangladesh with nine points and Nepal with three. Bhutan has yet to score a point.

India wasted no time asserting their dominance. Bhutan, desperate to fix their defensive issues after conceding 13 goals in three matches, faced relentless pressure from India, leaving their backline exposed.

The breakthrough came early in the fourth minute. A perfectly-threaded pass from the centre circle split Bhutan’s defense, finding Kumari at the edge of the box. Using her pace, she beat her marker and calmly slotted past Bhutan’s goalkeeper, Kelzang Wangmo, who hesitated in narrowing the angle.

India nearly doubled their advantage soon after through Pearl Fernandes, but her shot was bravely blocked by a Bhutan defender. The Tigresses continued their onslaught, particularly targeting opportunities from set-pieces, although early attempts drifted wide.

In the 16th minute, Kumari compensated with a thunderous free-kick after Julan Nongmaithem was fouled at the edge of the area. Kumari stepped up and fired a rocket past Wangmo, leaving her rooted in place. It was her second goal of the evening, showcasing her precision once again.

India’s third goal in the 24th minute resulted from a goalkeeping error. A poor clearance from Wangmo ricocheted off Fernandes and fell kindly to Shveta Rani, who reacted quickly and slotted into an open net, taking full advantage of Bhutan’s chaotic defense.

The Tigresses could have added a fourth before the interval. Nongmaithem’s low drive was palmed away by Wangmo, and the rebound fell to Kumari, whose curling shot clipped the crossbar, narrowly denying her a second consecutive hat-trick.

India retained control after the break, dictating the tempo and possession and forcing Bhutan deeper into their own half. The fourth goal finally came in the 77th minute when Abhista Basnett played a clever pass from the edge of the box to find captain Julan Nongmaithem, who rifled a first-time strike past the goalkeeper with conviction.

With Bhutan struggling for relief, India struck again in stoppage time. A wayward goal kick fell straight to Kumari, who slipped in Mira Chanu Longjam. The midfielder turned her marker inside out before slotting home to seal a memorable win, sending the Indian dugout into raptures.

(With PTI Inputs)

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First Published:

August 27, 2025, 22:21 IST

News sports India Crushes Bhutan 5-0 In SAFF U17 Women's Championship

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