Controversy mars SAFF U-19 Women's Championship Final

India faced off against Bangladesh in a nail-biting clash that left fans stunned and outraged at the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship final on Thursday. The match, which commenced at 5:30 PM, saw India taking an early lead in the 8th minute courtesy of a goal from Sibani Devi. Throughout the 90 minutes, India dominated play, but their failure to capitalize on opportunities to extend their lead proved costly.

As the match approached its climax, India opted to adopt a defensive stance in the final 10 minutes, a decision that ultimately backfired when Bangladesh found the equalizer in the 93rd minute. With no provision for extra time in age-group competitions, the match proceeded directly to penalties after a 1-1 draw.

In a tense penalty shootout, both teams managed to score 5-5, leading to sudden death. Astonishingly, even the goalkeepers successfully converted their penalties.

Poor officiating

However, confusion arose when the referee, seemingly improvising, resorted to flipping a coin to determine the winner, declaring India as the victors amidst uproar from the crowd.

India's jubilation quickly turned sour as Bangladesh protested the decision, prompting officials to review the rulebook. It was determined that a coin toss was not a sanctioned method for resolving tied matches. With India retreating to the dressing room and Bangladesh players staging a sit-in protest, the officials issued an ultimatum: if India failed to return to the field within 30 minutes, Bangladesh would be declared the champions.

Despite the passage of 50 minutes, India remained absent from the field, leading to the inevitable conclusion that they had forfeited the match. At approximately 10 PM, amidst the chaotic aftermath, it was announced that both teams would share the trophy, marking a tumultuous end to a match that had begun over four hours earlier.

The saga serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adherence to established rules and protocols in sports competitions, underscoring the need for clarity and consistency in officiating decisions to maintain the integrity of the game.