SAFF U16 championship got underway at ANFA complex, Satdobato, Lalitpur on Friday.

India defeated Bhutan 7-0 in the opening match.

The winners led 6-0 at half time.

Thirteen-year-old Hazaribagh girl Anuksha Kumari scored a hat-trick. Striker Pearl Fernandes struck a brace and Shveta Rani and substitute Anwita Raghuraman were other goalscorers for the Young Tigresses.

The four-team tournament also features hosts Nepal and Bangladesh. The two top teams will play the final on March 10, 2024.

India 7 (Shveta Rani 6', Pearl Fernandes 13', 26', Anushka Kumari 17', 27', 40', Anwita Raghuraman 61')
beat
Bhutan 0