Kathmandu. Kathmandu: Nepal lost 2-4 in the final match of the AFC Women’s Qualifier football tournament in Uzbekistan.
With this defeat, Nepal’s dream of returning to the Asian Cup after 26 years could not be realized.
The decision was taken from the penalty shoot-out after the match was tied at 3-3 in the added 7 minutes.
Captain Sabitra Bhandari, who scored three goals for Nepal in the stipulated time, returned after hitting the first penalty shoot pole. Similarly, Nepal’s sabita Rana Magar’s ball was stopped by the Uzbek keeper and Uzbekistan qualified for the Asian Cup women’s football.
Sabitra Bhandari Samba, the captain of the Nepali national women’s football team, scored a goal in the 23rd and 73rd minute of the match. Nepal scored the second goal in the 71st minute through a corner kick.
Nepal scored the first goal in the second minute of the match. Uzbekistan scored the second and third goals in the 11th and 45th minutes.
Both Bangladesh and India have already been eliminated from the qualifiers.
The teams selected from this tournament will participate in the AFC Women’s Football Tournament to be held in Australia in 2026.
Nepal had earlier participated in the AFC Women’s Football Championship in 1999 as an invited team.
