BIRATNAGAR, March 16 -- RM Chalani Kumari Ekanayake scored a brace as Sri Lanka women national football team defeated Maldives national football team 2-0 to advance to the semifinals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship 2019 in the second group B match held at the Shahid Stadium in Biratnagar on Friday.

Maldives had already lost 6-0 against India in the opening match of the group on Wednesday. With two defeats in two games, Maldives are out of the competition as India will join Sri Lanka as the semifinalists from this group with last league game between the two teams to be played on Sunday. The match will serve as battle for top finish in the group.

Nepal and Bangladesh have qualified for the semifinal from...