In an exhilarating final held in Kathmandu, Bangladesh emerged victorious in the SAFF Women's U-16 Championship, defeating India 3-2 in a penalty shootout.

Goalkeeper Yearzan Begum played a pivotal role in the final, making crucial saves as Bangladesh fought back from a goal down to force the match into a tiebreaker. Despite missed penalty attempts from key players Sauravi Akanda Prity and Alpi Akter, Yearzan's heroics ensured Bangladesh's triumph.

India took an early lead with a superb goal from Anushka Kumari in the fourth minute, but Bangladesh responded strongly, with Mariam Binte Hanna scoring a header in the 71st minute to level the score.

Having maintained an unbeaten record throughout the championship, Bangladesh entered the final with confidence, having defeated India 3-1 in the round-robin stage.

This victory holds significant importance for Saiful Bari Titu and his team, especially after the disappointment of sharing the trophy with India in the under-19 final a month ago. Unlike the previous encounter, there was no controversy this time as Bangladesh rightfully reclaimed the title they first won in 2017.