Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 26 (ANI): Nepal and Bangladesh registered victories in their opening matches of the SAFF U-20 Championship which kicked off at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

While Nepal defeated Maldives 4-0 in the opener, Bangladesh scraped past Sri Lanka by a solitary goal in the other match of the day.

Also Read | IND vs WI Dream 11 Team Prediction: Tips to Pick Best Fantasy Playing XI For India vs West Indies 3rd ODI at Queen’s Park Oval.

Dipesh Gurung gave Nepal the lead in the 42nd minute, while Sugam Suwal doubled the lead in the 57th minute. Kritish Chhunju scored the third goal in the 62nd minute, while Managya Nakarmi completed the rout in the added time.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh rode on a 71st-minute Mirajul Islam strike to beat Sri Lanka and opened their SAFF U-20 Championship tally with a win.

Also Read | Gustav McKeon, French Cricketer, Becomes Youngest To Score T20I Century.

India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on July 27, 2022. Earlier on Tuesday, the coaches of all the five teams across South Asia joined in on lauding the world-class sporting facilities in the city.

Speaking to the media ahead of the start of the tournament, India head coach Shanmugam Venkatesh stated how prolonged access to such facilities have helped his team grow as footballers over the long term.

"We are prepared for the SAFF Championship and the boys are really motivated. For us, this will be good preparation for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, and all our players know the importance of taking it step by step as part of our development," Venkatesh had said.

"I must thank the Government of Odisha for providing such world-class facilities for the tournament. We have also been training here for a long time, and that has really helped the boys develop," he added. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)