Goals from Anil Gurung and Jumanu Rai in front of the home crowd at Dasharath Stadium helped Nepal qualify for the knockout stage as the winner of Group A.
Nepal´s football rivalry with India dates back to 1985. Nepal has managed to register just three wins, including Thursday´s victory, in 14 encounters with the five time champion. However, the previous two victories were not achieved against a full-strength team or during the regulation time.[break]
In 1993, Nepal had stunned its archrival India 4-3 in a tie-beaker after the regulation time ended in a 2-2 draw. The only other previous victory came in 2006, but, that too was against the U-23 team of India.
“The win means a lot. It has made people believe that Nepal can also beat India,” Nepal´s coach Jack Stefanowski said during the post match conference.
Despite the defeat, India advanced into the semifinal as the runner up of the group. Although Pakistan, which defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in the day´s other match played at Halchowk, has equal four points as that of India, the latter secured semifinal spot on the basis of head-to-head records. India had defeated Pakistan 1-0. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh crashed out from the group stage.
With two wins and a draw, Nepal earned seven points, three points more than India and Pakistan. Bangladesh hit the bottom of the table with one point.
Nepal will meet the runner up of Group B on Sunday, while India takes on group winner on Monday in the semifinal clash. Maldives and Afghanistan have already qualified for the semifinals from Group B but the encounter between them will decide the group winner and runner up.
On Thursday, Gurung broke deadlock in the 69th minute with his ninth international and second goal in SAFF Championship. Gurung tapped in from the crowded box into an open net in Bikram Lama´s header that rebounded off the bar. Lama had headed in a free-kick taken by Sandip Rai. Midfielder Lama had marked his debut in the tournament as Raju Tamang´s 66th minute replacement.
Jumanu Rai, 29th minute replacement of injured winger Jagjeet Shrestha, doubled the tally with a perfect finish in the 81st minute for his 11th international goal. Jumanu fired home from the left flank towards the far post to beat custodian Subrat Paul towards the far post. Defender Rabin Shrestha had fed the ball to Rai in a counter attack.
Sayad Rahim Nabi pulled back for India in the stoppage time, but it was too late. Nabi, left unmarked in the area, made a spectacular back volley from the area in Jewel Shaikhraja cross to cut the deficit in second minute of the three-minute stoppage time.
Second yellow card to skipper Sunil Chhetri came as a disappointment to India as he would miss the semifinal.
DSP Arjun Chand, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Range office, Kathmandu informed that the police arrested 13 persons on the charge black marketing the tickets.
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