Nepal squanders massive opportunity in football
No question, it was a jaw- dropping defeat for Nepal in the highly anticipated final game of the 2nd Under-16 South Asian Federation Football Championship held in Kathmandu.
The shock 0-1 reversal the home side suffered at the hands of India was a huge setback and a devastating blow. As a result, Nepal’s international trophy drought continues unabated, unfortunately.
The 10,000 plus boisterous partisan crowd braved the rain, hoping to celebrate victory but were left dejected, frustrated and infuriated at the end of the day.
I understand emotions run high among fans. At the same time, we must learn to accept defeat gracefully and respect opponents regardless of the outcome.
It is very important that we maintain civility, orderly environment and not vilify and demonize opponents.
The talented 15 year old Jerry Lalrinzula from Mizoram shattered the dreams of the hosts after his scorching left-footer from 35 yards found the net in the 17th minute of play.
In hindsight, coach Bal Krishna Maharjhan’s boys squandered their best chance to win the championship. Given their good performance and domination, they should have won the final handily.
There is no excuse for the disappointing runners –up finish. Apparently, they had to pay dearly for their inability to close out match and convert on their scoring chances.
You might not agree with me, it is my humble opinion that in competitive sports all that matter is team success, when all is said and done.
Die hard football fans across the country have long endured pain. They realize that their teams have been on a continuous downward spiral,
especially when it comes to producing the desired results.
They, however, have not lost hope and faith in their national teams, despite everything. They are passionate, loyal and continue to support them.
Nepal held clear edge over India going into the final. Furthermore, they had home field advantage they could use to their benefit. We know that did not happen. Everyone agrees that Nepal missed a massive opportunity.
To be fair, they played well but did not deliver what was needed to get the job done. Coach Maharjhan‘s boys just fell short of a championship caliber performance. They did toil tirelessly, displayed real grit and fighting spirit, but all their good work and efforts went in vain.
By and large, it was a fairly impressive and dominating performance by the home side. Understandably, players were heartbroken by the defeat. Learning and growing through adversity is very important for the youngsters. It is all part of the game.
They can take positives from a defeat like this and not get disillusioned. They must stay focused and demonstrate commitment to excellence to succeed in their future endeavors.
There is so much depth and potential in this team, no doubt. Most important, however, they need proper guidance, nurturing, opportunity and more exposure. If they move in the right direction, the majority of these youngsters are destined to play big time football.
Already a few of them in the likes of Bimal Gharti Thapa Magar and Hemant Thapa Magar are knocking on the door of the senior national team. They deserve serious consideration from the national selectors.
Though young and inexperienced, they are worthy of making the team and playing along senior players. We need to groom and develop these young prospects and provide playing time.
On the other hand, credit goes to India for hanging on doggedly. They held their composure, kept a positive attitude and played their cards right throughout the competition.
Their collective effort and individual brilliance obviously did the trick as they came out victorious in the end. The talented Indian outfit deserved their victory.
A rosy future is ahead for our young booters, who are expected to form the nucleus of the national football team.
I hope the youngsters learn from the defeat, and I am pretty sure they will come back all guns blazing.
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