Crushing disappointment for Nepal women’s national team

Sports aficionados  witnessed  the first  international  football tournament of 2025  held in Kathmandu recently.

The Four  Nation  International Women’s  Championship organized  by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) featured Nepal,Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar.

The competition provided hosts Nepal a golden opportunity to end their frustrating championship drought. As a matter of fact,they have been without a  trophy since their competitive journey began almost four decades ago.

They have been close to  winning their maiden title umpteenth times,only to fall at the last hurdle.They have lacked the ability to close out the game when it mattered most.

The last  two editions of the  Women’s South Asian Federation Football  Championship hosted by Nepal in recent years,serve  as  a clear  example to illustrate this fact.

On both occasions,they squandered their chances and  fell short in the finals,losing to the same opponent,Bangladesh.

The four nation tourney proved no different for the home  team as they had to endure another heartbreaking 0-2 defeat to Myanmar in the final.

Considering their impressive performance in the league stage,Team Nepal seemed poised to break the jinx.

With two wins and one draw they finished behind Myanmar on goal difference to book a spot in the final.

The highlight was their performance against the higher ranked Myanmar.Their resilience,determination and fighting spirit were on full display as they fought back twice from a goal down to  hold them to a 2-2 draw.

Nepal’s strong bounce-back performance raised championship hopes.Flag waving partisan supporters packed the  Dasharath stadium in anticipation of their side’s victory.

However,the team’s championship dream went up in smoke after they lost 0-2, dampening the celebratory mood of home fans.

Myanmar broke the deadlock with two quick goals in a space of three minutes in the second half, putting the game beyond the reach of the hosts.The winners had a clear edge over the opponent,offensively and defensively. 

Overall it was an evenly-contested match with both teams having their share of scoring chances throughout.At the end of the day the  visitors  triumphed by capitalizing on the scoring chances.

Once again Nepal failed to cash in on home advantage and produce a winning 

performance, prolonging their championship drought and leaving them frustrated with more work to do.

Analyzing the team’s performance, defense and midfield remain areas of concern for the team and must  be addressed moving forward.

Furthermore ,there is a need to improve the team’s dynamics,cohesiveness, chemistry  and finishing. 

 

Nepal may not have won the championship, but they are a talented  unit and deserve every bit of credit for elevating women’s football to the next level, overcoming setbacks,adversity and challenges. 

As a result, women’s football continues to thrive and reach new audiences to this day.

Nepal has made  significant inroads and shrugged off the underdogs' status in South Asia as they have risen from pretenders to contenders.

Besides,they have been  showcasing their potential in various international tournaments,earning applause and appreciation wherever they compete.

Ace striker Sabitra Bhandari made history by becoming Nepal’s first ever player  to play club football in Europe. Skipper and custodian of the national team Anjila Tumbapo Subba followed suit after she was signed by a Greek club.Striker Rekha Poudel became  the third player to play overseas,joining a club in the United Arab Emirates.Apart from the three,a host of players  play in the Indian professional league. 

It is fair to say that these players have redefined and transformed women’s football.That speaks volumes of the talent pool in the country,

One thing is crystal clear,players' steadfast and unwavering passion, commitment to their relentless pursuit of  success are undeniable.

It’s a matter of time before they will put an end to their long -awaited championship drought. 

 

Let us remember that not too long ago women’s football in the country existed only in the namesake. It was hardly visible  and  lagged behind internationally.

It was not prioritized and little attention was given by the All Nepal Football Association(ANFA) to develop women’s football.

 

The development of women’s football has been impeded by the  lack of professionalization in the domestic league, scarcity of resources and infrastructure,financial constraints,and the absence of adequate facilities and equipment.And it has discouraged women footballers from pursuing a career in football.

ANFA must  prioritize and fully throw their weight behind women’s football if they  seriously want  to make it relevant, meaningful and productive moving forward.