Nepal down but not out

What I dreaded the most could not be avoided by Nepal in the ongoing AFC Challenge Cup in Kathmandu, Thursday.

The 0-2 loss at the hands   of Palestine in the opener is a major setback for the team and fans alike.  Obviously, a win could have been a perfect start, or at the least a draw could have worked in our favor.

The team comes under intense pressure following the defeat. The remaining two matches have assumed greater importance for Coach Roberts and his boys. To put ourselves   in contention for one of the two semi-final spots   we   cannot afford another mediocre performance.

Our   challenges   are much more daunting now. It is a do-or-die   situation   for us to keep our semifinals hopes alive. By any stretch of imagination, it   will not be easy   against Turkmenistan and Maldives.

The matter of truth is that we have to perform   exceedingly   well   to stand any chance.    It is important that   we   beat   Maldives and get back the   momentum.  Yes, we   have to find a way to win, but it’s easier said than done.

Having played against   Maldives countless times and most recently in the SAFF championship, we know what they are capable of, but   we  still can   turn   the tide   in  our  favor  provided we unleash our  potential  to the fullest, and we   exploit  home advantages successfully.

Going by Turkmenistan’s 3-1 victory over Maldives, they   pose a much greater threat to us. They are a very physical team, coupled   with   plenty of speed and power. It   requires a mighty effort to overcome them on our part.

Palestine   is   a relatively strong side as they showed   with a victory against us. They were   the better team on the day, and   they   controlled the proceedings   in every department of the game   for the most part. They   played   decent   and consistent football throughout   to frustrate us.

In contrast, we played poorly   by our standards, by and large.  Despite conceding an early goal we were unable   to bounce back   and   saw our game go haywire.  Clearly,   we lacked cohesion , penetration and smart play. 

Once again   our forwards   were a   big letdown.  They were guilty of poor finish and  making a hash of  scoring   opportunities that came by, and   we had to pay a heavy price for their   ineffectiveness,   clumsiness and sloppiness, ultimately.

With this kind of   offense I just don’t see how we can   turn the tables against Maldives and Turkmenistan.  Coach Roberts cannot deny the fact that our performance was average.  However, I hope the boys are able to strike back with a vengeance and restore some measure of parity.