Bangladesh Under-19 Women's football team launched their SAFF U-19 Women's Championship title defense with a ruthless display, obliterating Bhutan 12-0 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium in Nepal on Saturday.

The one-sided affair saw three Bangladeshi players record hat-tricks as the team signaled their intent to retain the trophy.

The match remained a masterclass in attacking football, with Bangladesh leading 4-0 at the interval before an eight-goal surge in the second half.

Munki Akter was the standout performer, finding the net four times (44th, 45+3rd, 81st and 90+3rd minute).

She was joined in the hat-trick club by Sree Moti Trishna Rani, who scored in the 43rd, 54th and 60th minutes and Alpi Akter, who completed her treble with a flurry of late goals (73rd, 86th, and 90+5th minutes).

Earlier, Mamoni Chakma opened the scoring in the 28th minute, while skipper Arpita Biswas added her name to the scoresheet in the 90+4th minute.

Despite Bhutan’s defensive efforts, they were unable to contain the pace and precision of the Bangladeshi forwards, who kept the pressure on until the final whistle.

With this emphatic victory, Bangladesh currently sits at the top of the table. Their campaign continues with high-stakes matches against India on February 2 and hosts Nepal on February 4.

The top two teams from the round-robin stage will advance to the final, scheduled for February 7.