Sports Desk:

Hosts Bangladesh kept their impressive winning run intact in the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship with an emphatic 3-0 win over Bhutan in their fourth match at the Bashundhara Kings practice ground on Thursday.

Forward Trishna Rani Sarkar struck a brace before substitute Swapna Rani added another to make it four in four for Bangladesh, who lead the four-team table with 12 points, three more than closest rivals Nepal, who beat Sri Lanka 7-0 in the day’s first match.

English coach Peter Butler once again pinned his faith on the fresh faces, resting the senior players as he had done in a 4-1 win over the same opponents in the previous match.

His charges once again did not disappoint, keeping the lion’s share of the ball possession from the beginning.

Having squandered an open-net opportunity in the 14th minute, Trishna made amends in the 33rd minute by sending the ball over goalkeeper Pema Yangzom’s head and into the net, capitalising on a through-pass from Swapna, who was swapped in for the injured Bonna Khatun on the half-hour mark.

After resumption, Butler sent three fresh pairs of legs – defender Joynob Bibi Rita, midfielder Munki Akhter and forward Umehla Marma – to press for more goals but the home side wasted many chances, much like in the previous matches.

Trishna doubled the lead in the 65th minute with a low drive, capitalising on a fumble from Bhutanese defender Sounam Yangchen while Swapna made it 3-0 with a dipping 35-yarder in the 74th minute.