GUWAHATI, Feb 11: Nepali women's football team made to the final of the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) with a match in hand while the men's team has fixed a semifinal date against the Maldives as group runner-up after going down 2-1 against Bangladesh during their last group match in northeast India on Thursday.
In the men's event, Nepal which was already assured of a semifinal spot, squandered an early lead in Guwahati to lose its dead-rubber match while the women's team settled for goalless draw against host India in Shillong.
Following the outcome, the men's team advanced into the semifinal as Group B runner-up with three points while Bangladesh topped the group with four points. Nepal will meet the Maldives, the winner of Group A, on Saturday while Bangladesh faces host India on the same day for their places in the final.
Earlier, Nepal had overcame Bhutan 5-0 in the group stage and was assured of semifinal spot after Bangladesh and Bhutan shared points playing 1-1 draw in the three-team group.
In the women's event played under round-robin league format, Nepal leads the standings with seven points. With a match still to play against Sri Lanka in the five-team contest, last year's runner-up Nepal will meet either India or Bangladesh in the title clash on February 15. India (five points) faces Bangladesh (six) in what will be the last match for both the nations on Saturday, that will decide which team will face Nepal for gold.
"It would be nice to have Bangladesh as our final opponent. India is a strong side and put us under severe pressure," Nepal's women's team coach Dhruba KC told a news conference. “We resorted to defensive strategy which allowed us a point and subsequently, an entry into the South Asian Games' women's football final.”
On Thursday, the men's team rested some of the key players replacing first choice goalkeeper Bikesh Kutu by Alan Neupana, Bimal Gharti Magar by Anjan Bista and Ranjan Bista by Jagjeet Shrestha.
Ananta Tamang put Nepal ahead early in the third minute but Bangladesh restored parity in the 40th through Rayham Hasan. Md Nabib Newah doubled the advantage for Bangladesh five minutes later to finish as group topper.
Nepal's men's team coach Raju Kaji Shakya attributed the defeat to absence of some key players due to injuries. “We had rested our key players keeping in view of the semifinals since they are not fully fit and we did not want to take any risks,” he said. “We could not hold possession despite taking the early lead but we were able to put Bangladesh under pressure after making changes after the break. Bangladesh was a tough opponent today.”
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