Game kicks off 6.30 pm; PM Oli to watch the final live from Dasarath Stadium
KATHMANDU, Oct 30: Defending champion Nepal take on Bangladesh this evening (Wednesday evening) as the national women’s football team eyes the SAFF Women's Championship title for the second time in a row.
Behind Nepal not just lies the grueling victory fight on Sunday against the arch-rivals India, but also a history of making it five times to the finals without a title. This time around the home team face the former champions and strong rivals Bangladesh in the title match on Wednesday. Nepal has secured victories against strong teams, including India, while Bangladesh triumphed over Bhutan to compete for the title. In the last edition, Nepal was defeated by Bangladesh on home ground, remaining title-less. This time, the situation resembles the previous edition.
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In the previous edition, Nepal secured a spot in the finals by defeating India, while Bangladesh overcame Bhutan. That final also took place at Dasarath Stadium.
Nepal has the opportunity to avenge their previous loss at the same venue. However, Nepal’s women’s team captain, Anjila Tumbapo Subba, stated that their focus is not on revenge but on the championship title. "We were defeated by Bangladesh in the last edition as well. This time, we are facing the same opponent. But we see this as an opportunity to become champions rather than seeking revenge. The team is in good form. If we don't win this time, we might have to wait for another 5–10 years. Therefore, we will enter the pitch to win the title," Anjila said.
For the second consecutive edition, the final is taking place without India. The semifinal match, in which Nepal defeated India, was controversial and tense, leading to more than an hour-long interruption in the game. It took nearly three and a half hours for the semifinal result to be determined, during which the game was affected for an hour and 15 minutes. Despite this, Nepal ultimately secured a spot in the final against Bangladesh after beating India in the penalty shootout. However, in the final, Nepal will miss their key striker, Rekha Paudel, who received two yellow cards and has been suspended from the match.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will be amid tens of thousands of audience watching the final live from Dasarath Stadium. Oli is scheduled to arrive at the stadium at 6 PM half an hour before the match kicks off. At the end, the Prime Minister will present the title and awards to the winners.
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