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Defending champions Bangladesh finished runners-up in the three-nation SAFF U-18 Women's Championship 2022 despite beating hosts India 1-0 in the last match at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in the Indian town of Jamshedpur Friday evening.
In the day's title-deciding match, Aklima Khatun scored the match-winner for Bangladesh in the 74th minute by a brilliant left-footer outside from the danger zone (1-0).
Bangladesh, who conceded a 1-0 defeat to India in their first leg match last Saturday, needed to win today's finale by at least a two-goal margin, in order to finish with a better head to head record and clinch the title for the 2nd time in a row.
However, India held on for a tie on the head to head, and clinched the title for the first time by virtue of a better goal difference - the next measure to separate teams tied on points and head to head.
Both India and Bangladesh secured nine points each from four matches with three wins and a defeat. But India emerged champions with a +11 goal difference, against Bangladesh's +3.
The other team Nepal completed their assignment with empty hands losing all the matches.
Bangladesh women emerged champions in the U-18 meet in Bhutan in 2018 beating Nepal in the final and Bangladesh also clinched the SAFF U-19 title beating India 1-0 in the final in Dhaka last December.