Kathmandu, Feb 20: With Lebanon suffering its second consecutive defeat, host Nepal and Myanmar are set to face off in the final of the Four Nation’s International Women’s Championship.
Nepal secured a 1-0 victory against Lebanon on Thursday evening, ensuring a title clash with Myanmar. Earlier, Lebanon had suffered a 3-1 defeat to Myanmar in their opening match. With back-to-back losses, Lebanon’s chances of finishing in the top two were eliminated one match before the conclusion of the league stage.
In the first match of the day at Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar, Myanmar thrashed Kyrgyzstan 5-0. Both Nepal and Myanmar now have two wins each, while Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan have suffered two defeats each. Before the final showdown, Nepal and Myanmar will play their last league match.
Striker Sabitra Bhandari’s decisive goal led Nepal to a narrow 1-0 victory over Lebanon. With this result, both Nepal and Myanmar have secured six points from two matches. Lebanon put up a strong fight in front of approximately 12,000 home supporters but failed to find the back of the net. Sabitra scored in the 42nd minute of the match.
She capitalized on a set-piece delivery from attacking midfielder Bimala Chaudhary, striking the ball from outside the penalty box. Her shot deflected off Lebanese defender Farah El Tayyar and found its way into the goal.
Lebanon created the first scoring opportunity in the 9th minute when winger Christy Malouf’s shot was saved by Nepalese goalkeeper Anjila Tumbapo Subba. Just four minutes later, striker Layla Iskandar failed to beat Anjila. In the 15th minute, Preeti Rai’s attempt went over the crossbar.
In the 26th minute, Rekha failed to provide the final touch, missing an opportunity for Nepal to take the lead. Sabita Rana Magar delivered a cross from the right side, which Bimala one-touched towards Rekha, but she couldn’t convert it into a goal. In injury time, Lebanon’s Zahwa Arabi struck a powerful shot from outside the box that beat Anjila but hit the crossbar.
Now, Nepal and Myanmar will play their final group-stage match on February 23 at 6 PM. On the same day, Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon will face each other at 2 PM. #nepal #football
