In anticipation of Nepal victory over Laos
It would be a
well-deserved accomplishment if Team Nepal were to emerge victorious. I don’t
know about you or what you think. But my gut tells
me that they have a realistic chance at capturing the silverware.
Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I can sense it. No
one disputes the fact that they are within the striking distance of winning the
competition.
I hope I am right about this. Having said that, I concede
the fact that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to predicting
sports outcome. I almost forgot the game is played in ground not on paper.
Everybody knows that it is all about turning in match winning
performances and taking the game a notch above to the next level. The outfit
that does the best in ground prevails at the end.
Apparently in the knock out stage, there is absolutely no
room for complacency, inconsistency and missed chances. Otherwise, the team would
have to pay a heavy price for it and end up on the losing side.
If Coach Gyotoku side
performances in the first two matches are any indication, there is still plenty
of work to do. In other words, the performance
is not good enough to give them the championship.
Following a lackluster opener against Timor, Nepal, finally
hit top gear against Brunei to put
themselves back in the win column.
They managed to
redeem themselves with a somewhat improved performance and registered their
first win in the championship.
They notched up a comfortable 3-0 victory, topped the group
and advanced to the last four. Yet, it was not
a polished, impressive
performance, by and large.
Nepal’s semi-final clash against unfancied Laos is intriguing and tricky .The only time
the two teams played against each other was in a friendly, which ended in a
draw not to long ago.
Laos is an ordinary outfit that can easily be beaten. So far
their performance has been weak and insipid. That said, they are plucky,
aggressive and cannot be underestimated.
Over the course of the tournament, they have amply displayed
their doggedness, tenacious fighting spirit. They appear determined to throw in
everything they have in their attempt to derail Nepal.
On paper, unsurprisingly Team Nepal is considered the
strong favorites against the Laotian outfit. They stand an excellent chance
of victory. However, they will have to produce a much more convincing and
positive brand of football to deliver the desired result.
One thing is certain, it will not be easy as one might
expect. They will have to be at their very best. They are plenty of grey
areas that can spell trouble for Coach Gyotoku.
To this point the offense and midfield are yet to strike the
right chord. Erratic offense, big plays and
midfield where games are lost and won, continues to be a big concern.
If I were in the coach shoes, I would pack the team with
attacking and defensive midfielders to provide the much needed attacking thrust
that is missing. The misfiring strikers
must rise to the occasion and rediscover goal-scoring touch.
A meaningful coordination between offence and midfield is a must
to run an effective, productive offense-key to success. Besides, Nepal will need a dominant performance
I am anticipating
victory for Nepal. They cannot afford to lose against
another lowly opposition.
Comments
Post a Comment