Bangladesh men鈥檚 hockey team retained the title while women鈥檚 team finished runners-up in the Junior (U-21) AHF Cup that concluded at the Seng Kang Sports Centre in Singapore on Sunday.
Bangladesh men鈥檚 team defeated China 4-2 in the final of the 11-team tournament, while the women鈥檚 team beat hosts Singapore 7-1 in their final game of the seven-team league format competition.
Chinese Taipei lifted the women鈥檚 title by collecting all-win 18 points from six games after a crushing 10-0 win over Hong Kong in their final match.
This was the third time Bangladesh men鈥檚 team bagged the title of this tournament after 2014 and 2023.
China (2019 and 2011), Oman (2008), and Chinese Taipei (2003) clinched the other edition titles of this tournament since its inception in 2003.
In the men鈥檚 final, Rakibul Hasan scored a brace of field goals as he opened the account in the 22nd minute and scored his second in the 27th, while Amirul Islam (25th) scored in between from a penalty corner.
However, China came back strongly with a field goal from Jialong Luo in the 33rd minute and a penalty corner goal from Xianzhen Chen in the 41st minute.
Mohammad Joy extended the winning margin for Bangladesh with a field goal in the 53rd minute.
Amirul finished as the second-highest goal scorer with nine goals, while China鈥檚 Agymtay Duisengazy emerged as the top scorer with 12 goals.
Bangladesh reached the final after beating Chinese Taipei 5-1 in the semi-final after finishing Pool A champions with 7-0, 4-2, 5-0, and 7-0 wins over Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and hosts Singapore, respectively.
The top five finishers鈥擝angladesh, China, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, and Oman have qualified for the forthcoming Men鈥檚 Junior Asia Cup.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh women鈥檚 team defeated Singapore with six field goals from Ema Nadira (25th, 33rd), Sanjida Moni (seventh), Kona Akter (seventh), and Airin Riya (21st), as well as a penalty corner goal in the 55th minute by the tournament鈥檚 third leading scorer, Orpita Pal, who finished with nine goals.
Lana Saiful pulled one goal back for Singapore, converting a penalty stroke in the 45th minute.
Bangladesh finished second among the seven-team table with 15 points from six games. Their only defeat came against table-toppers Chinese Taipei (0-3).
Apart from that defeat, Bangladesh beat Thailand 5-4, Hong Kong 2-1, Sri Lanka 7-2, and Indonesia 10-1 in their other games.聽聽
Apart from Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong have qualified for the Women鈥檚 Junior Asia Cup.