Bangladesh U-20 retain SAFF crown prevailing 4-3 in tie-breaker, Aminul pledges rewards

The State Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque prompted immediate praise and reward pledges as the Bangladesh Under-20 football team vanquished India 4-3 on penalties on Friday and retained the SAFF U-20 Championship title.

The State Minister congratulated the young Tigers for their heroic triumph and announced financial incentives to honour their achievement.

After a cagey 0-0 stalemate in regulation time at the National Football Stadium in Male, Bangladesh seized control in the shootout with remarkable composure.

Goalkeeper Md Ismail Hossain Mahin emerged as the hero, producing a crucial save that tilted the momentum firmly in Bangladesh’s favour.

Md Murshed Ali, Chandon Roy, and Abdul Fahim converted under immense pressure as Bangladesh edged ahead in the high-stakes contest.

India faltered with a costly miss and a strike off the crossbar, allowing Bangladesh to capitalise.

Ronan Sullivan then hammered home a nerveless Panenka to seal victory, sparking wild celebrations.

He sprinted towards the stands, ripping off his shirt in jubilation as teammates flooded the pitch in emotional scenes.

Earlier, both sides traded fierce attacks, but Bangladesh’s disciplined defence and sharp counter-attacks kept India at bay.

With this dramatic triumph, Bangladesh juniors retained their crown in style, capping a memorable and hard-fought campaign.