In a commanding display at Pokhara Rangshala Stadium, India’s Under-17 women’s team demolished Bhutan 8-0 in the SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship round-robin clash on Wednesday. This emphatic victory secured India’s berth in the final, setting up a thrilling showdown with Bangladesh on February 7.
Pearl Fernandes stole the spotlight with a brilliant hat-trick, while Pritika Barman chipped in with a brace. Alisha Lyngdoh, Abhista Basnet, and Divyani Linda also found the net, turning the match into a one-sided affair. The young Indian tigresses dominated from the outset, showcasing relentless attacking football that left Bhutan reeling.
The scoring frenzy began early. Just six minutes in, Alisha Lyngdoh unleashed a stunning long-range strike from outside the penalty area to break the deadlock. Moments later, Abhista Basnet capitalized on Pritika Barman’s pinpoint pass to double the lead with a close-range finish.
Pearl Fernandes then took charge, slotting home a perfectly timed through ball to make it 3-0. Divyani Linda followed suit with a clinical finish from a pass, pushing the score to four. Pritika added her first goal in the 25th minute with a sharp shot from the right side of the box. Before halftime, Pearl completed her hat-trick with two more strikes, giving India a 7-0 lead at the break.
Post-interval, India made several substitutions but maintained their high tempo. They created numerous chances, hitting the woodwork twice, before Pritika Barman sealed the rout with her second goal in the dying minutes. She was rightfully named Player of the Match.
With this result, India sits second in the standings with six points from three games, trailing table-toppers Bangladesh by three points. Bangladesh had earlier clinched their final spot by thrashing hosts Nepal 4-0. Nepal holds third with three points, while Bhutan exits pointless.
India’s Under-17 squad is using this U19 tournament as preparation for the AFC Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026, and their performance signals bright prospects ahead.