Against Bangladesh Nepal must turn cycle of failure to cycle of success

In a chaotic  semi final clash  hosts Nepal came from behind to prevail over India in the  women’s South Asian Federation  Football Championship in Kathmandu.

Despite being reduced to ten players and down by a goal, the home team made a dramatic comeback to win in the penalty shootout.

The match took an ugly turn as confusion reigned in the second half  after the referee disallowed  the  equalizer to the hosts.

The referee’s decision was hotly disputed by the head coach and players who vehemently claimed it legitimate.

They stood their ground firm  and   refused  to  continue playing.As a result,the match was delayed for a prolonged period of time.

At one point,it looked as though Nepal would abandon the match. It took quite a bit of persuasion to get them to agree to continue playing.

They did the right thing by getting back on the pitch to finish the highly charged match.The decision paid off in the end eventually.

When the game finally resumed, ace  striker Sabitra Bhandari aka Samba  restored parity for Nepal at a critical juncture when the match seemed to be slipping away from their hands.

More importantly,they did not forfeit the game and avoided possible penalties for violation of the rules.

It is vital to maintain good sportsmanship, integrity and spirit  of the game all along,regardless of  circumstances.

They should learn to respect  match officials' decisions, even if they deem it wrong.

The players  must never  take rules into their own hands.Both manager and head coach are responsible for calming down their players and defusing the situation.

If they strongly believe that the officials’ erred in their decisions, they can appeal to the authority in charge of the match to review their performance.

The authority  will  assess and evaluate  the performances.Based on their findings necessary actions  may or  may not be taken against them. 

The hard fought but crucial victory earned Nepal a place in the final for the second straight time against the same opponent Bangladesh.

Nepal gets another shot at the championship title to end the drought.It is of utmost importance that they make the most of the opportunity that has come their way.

They have been in that situation five times before and lived with the frustration and disappointment of finishing second best. 

It is high time for the team to turn  the cycle of  failure to the cycle of success.They have an ideal setting to attain success.

They are playing at home in front of their supporters.It is indispensable that they capitalize on home field advantage to ensure themselves the upper hand in the proceedings.

Unquestionably, the success over India has bolstered and lifted their morale, confidence and provided them momentum.

They  got  to ride the momentum,strive to bring  their best  selves and A-game to the final.

They need  a more cohesive, dynamic  and attacking game  against  defending  champions Bangladesh who are formidable  and a tough nut to crack.

Maintaining peak performance throughout the 90 minutes of play,offensively  defensively  and in midfield  is key to the team‘s success.

They must  perform  with   great vigor,determination and winning  mindset, and take  their game to the next level.

There is absolutely no room for mediocrity,unforced errors and missed opportunities to score goals.  

They are one win from their  maiden championship title that has eluded them for so long.They have to give everything to win the championship.

They cannot afford to waste another opportunity knocking on their door. Otherwise,they will have to rue for missing  the chance and keep living with constant failure.