Australia sealed their place in the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship Thailand 2019 knockout stage, but only after a Matchday Three arm-wrestle with Bangladesh finished in 2-2 draw on Saturday, report agencies.
Striker Tohura Khatun put the South Asians ahead on two separate occasions, with a pair of second-half equalisers from Claudia Mihocic and Paige Zois required to maintain Australia’s unbeaten record.
The Junior Matildas sealed their place in the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years, but it was Bangladesh who were in the mood to celebrate, as they claimed their first ever AFC U-16 Women’s Championship Finals point.
Australia arrived at IPE Chonburi Stadium on the brink of securing their place in the knockout stage, but hopeful of putting enough goals past a Bangladesh side, who had conceded nine against Japan 72 hours earlier, to finish as group winners. It took 21 minutes for that plan to unravel, when a relatively even opening - which had included a disallowed Australia goal - culminated in Golam Robbani Choton’s side taking the lead.
With the Australians positioned high up the pitch, Ritu Porna Chakma’s direct pass caught the defence cold before Tohura Khatun found the net with terrific long-range finish after beating rapidly advancing goalkeeper Miranda Templeman to the ball. With advancing from the group suddenly a more pressing concern than topping it, Australia sought a quick reply with the classy Hana Lowry drawing a save from goalkeeper Rupna Chakma, then flashing a low effort wide five minutes before half-time.
Just as they had done against Australia in their final group stage match two years ago, Bangladesh were providing the Young Matildas with a real challenge, and further saves to deny Nia Stamatopoulos and Georgia Beaumont kept them on track for a first ever win at the competition at half-time Beaumont and Lowry continued to try their luck, with the latter regularly providing the best efforts and forcing a key save from Rupna Chakma in the 64th minute, and the breakthrough finally arrived when Claudia Mihocic bundled in a corner kick, delivered sweetly by Lowry, to level the match in the 77th minute.
But Australia conceded again just a minute after their equaliser arrived, with AS Khatun once again breached the defensive line before slipping a low effort past Templeman. The goals continued to fly in when Australia replied in kind just two minutes later, this time through Paige Zois’ long range strike, which the hitherto reliable Rupna Chakma might have done more to keep out, to make it 2-2 a mere three minutes after it had been 1-0. It was the Australians who were more inclined to search for a winner, and a final volley at goal from Lowry could have broken Bangladeshi hearts, but Choton’s side stood firm to claim a historic point.
