Forward Anjan Bistan and Ananta Tamang scored on either side of the break to register Nepal´s first ever victory over Bahrain in three meetings between the two sides in the age-group tournament. Bahrain had earlier defeated Nepal 3-2 in Tehran in 2007 and 5-0 in Kathmandu in 2009.[break]
Nepal will face Iraq in its next match on Friday and Bahrain will play against Turkmenistan.Forward Bista gave an early 12th-minute lead to Nepal with a brilliant chip over an advancing custodian Md Alazab in a pass from Hemant Thapa Magar.
Tamang made it 2-0 toward the end of the three minutes of injury time. Tamang left custodian Alazab clueless with a curling header from a crowded danger zone in an acute freekick taken by skipper Bimal Gharti Magar.
Nepal was in total control throughout the match that saw Bahrain´s substitute Hazeem Alshamsi receive his marching orders in the third minute of the second-half stoppage time. Alshamsi, a 79th minute replacement for Yusuf Murad, was sent off by Bangladeshi referee Tayab Hasan Shamsuzzaman after he deliberately kicked Gharti Magar on his face in a scuffle for the ball.
Nepal made over half-a-dozen attempts on goal while Bahrain could create only a couple of chances after the interval. In the 18th minute, glovesman Alazab denied Kiran Sunar´s scorcher from the edge in Thapa Magar´s pass set up by Anil Rai. In the 20th, Alazab made a diving save to prevent Gharti Magar´s header in Bikash Thapa´s pass. A minute later, a Bahrain defender denied scorer Bista´s one-touch strike from the danger zone in Gharti Magar´s pass. Three minutes before the interval, Thapa´s powerful strike from 25 yards sailed inches above the bar.
Bahrain tested Nepal´s custodian six minutes into the second half, but Roman Rasaili saved Md Harhoon´s strike from the area after he had beaten two defenders. In the 64th, Thapa was denied by goalkeeper Alazab in a one-on-one situation as he delayed to control Dinesh Rajbanshi pass. Harhoon of Bahrain was again prevented by Rasaili in the same minute.
Iraq crushes Turkmenistan
Earlier, Iraq made a flying start in the qualifiers with a thumping 8-1 win over Turkmenistan in the opener played at the same venue on Wednesday.
Despite a 1-1 draw till the interval, Iraq netted seven goals in the second half to crush Turkmenistan. Forward Sajjad Al-Msharrafawee scored a hat-trick for Iraq including the opener. He netted the team´s and his second goal in the 59th and completed a hat-trick in the 84th through penalty.
Forward Mayaser Gatea scored twice in the 80th and 87th minutes.Rami Shmailawi, a 63rd minute replacement for Md Araeer, added another in the 69th. Ali Tuaimah netted in the 78th and Mustafa Atiyah struck in the stoppage time. Earlier, Metdayev Akmamm had canceled Iraq´s lead in the 22nd minute.
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