Nepal thrashes Pakistan 9-0 to push for possible qualification

Published On: October 29, 2018 10:30 AM NPT

A player of Nepal (right) in action during a AFC U-19 Women’s Championship Qualification match against Thailand at the Chonburi Stadium in Chonburi, Thailand on Sunday. Photo Courtesy: NSJF

KATHMANDU, Oct 29: Nepal U-19 women’s team has registered a whopping 9-0 win over Pakistan in the last group match of the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship Qualification in Thailand on Sunday.

In the third round of Group B matches played at the Chonburi Stadium in Chonburi, a second-half hattrick from Nisha Thoker helped Nepal register its biggest win of the tournament.

Nepal scored an early goal through Manjali Kumari Yonjan in the second minute as she converted a cross coming from the right side after the Pakistani keeper failed to get to the ball and she finished from the six-yard box.

Samjhana Lawati scored Nepal’s second goal in the 31st minute scoring from the six yard box as well, while Nepal hit its third six minutes later from near the penalty area.

The first half ended 3-0 and Nepal quickly scored in the second half as well as Puja Rana provided a header in the 48th minute to a cross from Lawati.

Rana bagged her quickfire brace after a calamities defending from a Pakistani defender.
The defender tried a back pass to her keeper, but Rana was there to pounce on the ball as she controlled the ball and scored past the keeper a few minutes later.

Then it was all a Nisha Thoker show as she scored thrice in less than 30 minutes. She scored her first goal of the game taking a freekick from the left side of the field straight into the post, while she converted a 74th minute penalty to bag her second goal. She completed her hattrick in the 85th minute.

It was not all for Nepal, as captain Saru Limbu scored her first goal of the game a minute from time as her cross from the right side of the field went straight to the post as the Pakistani keeper could not judge the flight of the ball and conceded her ninth of the game.

Nepal is currently in the second place, but a win for India against Thailand will send Nepal to the third.
The top two teams of the group will directly reach the second round, but two best runner-ups will also go on to play the initial tournament, along with a potential place for the third best runner-up.