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Nepal’s comeback story was short lived as they crashed out of the South Asian Football Federation Championship in Bangladesh. Contrary to expectations,Nepal paid  dearly for sloppy play,defensive lapses,failure to convert  scoring chances and complacency in the 0-3 defeat to Maldives. For the umpteenth time Maldives dashed Nepal’s hopes of winning South Asia’s biggest trophy.As a result, the long championship drought drags on. Football fans across the country  are starting to get frustrated and  dejected with Team Nepal’s below average performance. After  having performed well  against Bhutan and Bangladesh, all seemed hunky dory for Nepal. The overwhelming impression we gathered was that Coach Bal Gopal Maharjan boys had a  great chance to write history. Unfortunately, it did not materialize as  Nepal stumbled badly, unable to rise to the occasion and wasting a big chance to shine. The setback can be attributed to a combinati...

Overcoming a jittery start to the South Asian Football Federation Championship,Nepal  rebounded with aplomb to reach the last four. So far it has been a terrific bounce back  story for Team Nepal who are very much in the race for South Asia’s premier trophy. Evidently,Coach Bal Gopal Maharjan boys face bigger challenges moving forward ,and hopefully  they give continuation to their good work. Having lost to Pakistan in the opener, Nepal quickly made amends against Bhutan in the  second match,and they successfully carried the momentum into the crucial tie against hosts Bangladesh. In a reversal of fortunes,Nepal stunned the home team,knocking them out of the tournament. They churned out an impressive 2-0  win. Nepal stuck to the game plan, launching attacks and counter attacks throughout.The defense and custodian put in quite a show,frustrating the opponent from finding the net. Striker Bimal Gharti Magar’s superb long range free kick conve...

In a must win match against Bhutan,Nepal registered a run away 4-0 victory to keep their hopes alive  at the South Asian Federation Football Championship in Bangladesh. The victory has put back Nepal in the mix and will play Bangladesh in the last group match for a spot in the knockout stage. With two defeats in a row, technically Bhutan has exited the competition, while  hosts Bangladesh have advanced to the next round with two wins. Bangladesh coasted to a solitary goal  win over Pakistan in their second match. The  outcome of the final group matches will decide  the second qualifier from the group. Of the two teams, either it is Nepal or Pakistan that will advance to the round of eight. Although Nepal and Pakistan are tied on points, the former with a better goal difference sits in second place. Both sides are in a similar situation, they need nothing less than a victory. Pakistan  plays Bhutan and must win by a big margin to pip Nepa...

Nepal’s losing streak in international football stretched further, following defeat to Pakistan at the 2018 South Asian Football Federation Championship in Bangladesh. Led by interim Coach Bal Gopal Maharjan, Nepal desperately  needed a bounce back win after underperforming at the recently concluded Asian Games in Indonesia. A consistent and competitive  performance was imperative for Nepal to generate early momentum and build confidence. They had to set the tone against Pakistan , avoid defeat  and get off to a perfect start. Unfortunately, it did not materialize as they fell well short of expectations. The 1-2 defeat is a big blow to Nepal’s quest for South Asian Football  Federation Championship (SAFFC) title. Nepal’s offense did come up with a much improved performance, launching forays, maneuvering moves and creating scoring  chances, but they lacked the execution and finishing touch. Nepal, however, was found wanting in defense. In fact,...

The Under-23 national  football team of Nepal’s debacle  at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia was/is a big setback. It is no exaggeration to say that the result is a sorry reflection of the declining standard of Nepali football. Three straight defeats pretty much sums up Nepal’s abject performance.It was very frustrating and very disheartening  to see the team fail to perform up to their potential and concede, especially the match to Pakistan, which they should have won. Contrary to expectations,Nepal lost to the Pakistani side in transition, playing their first  international competition in three years. The 1-2 defeat to Pakistan clearly underlines Nepal’s mediocrity and ongoing slump in international competitions. Nepal’s loss to superior opponents Vietnam and Japan was no surprise. In fact, prior to  both matches, the likelihood of defeat was on the cards. The only way they could have prevented was by beating the odds,but unfortunately the...