Kathmandu, October 15.
Nepal’s hopes of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup came to an end after suffering their fourth consecutive defeat in the ongoing Group F qualifiers. Nepal lost 1–0 to Vietnam in their away fixture on Tuesday.
The match, played at Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, saw Nepal concede an early goal in the fifth minute when defender Suman Shrestha accidentally put the ball into his own net. Despite putting up a strong fight for the rest of the game, Nepal failed to find an equalizer.
Nepal’s captain and goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong produced several impressive saves throughout the match, preventing Vietnam from extending their lead. However, the early own goal ultimately proved decisive.
Nepal had also lost the first-leg match against Vietnam 3–1. While Tuesday’s performance showed better organization and determination from the Nepali side, it still wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
Home Match Shifted to Vietnam
Nepal was originally scheduled to host Vietnam in Kathmandu. However, the Dasharath Stadium was deemed unfit to host the AFC Asian Cup qualifying fixtures, forcing Nepal to play both legs in Vietnam.
Milestone for Rohit Chand
Despite the loss, the match was a memorable one for midfielder Rohit Chand, who earned his 100th international cap for Nepal. He became only the second player, after captain Kiran Chemjong, to reach the milestone of 100 appearances for the national team.
Nepal Remain Pointless in Group F
Following four consecutive losses, Nepal remain at the bottom of Group F without a single point.
Earlier, Nepal had lost 2–0 to Malaysia and 2–1 to Laos in their first two fixtures. The team will still play its remaining two home matches against Malaysia and Laos.
With this result, Vietnam moved to second place in the group with 9 points from four matches, while Malaysia topped the table with 12 points after a dominant 5–1 victory over Laos earlier today.
In summary:
Nepal’s Asian Cup dream is over, but the team’s spirited performances—especially from young players—offer a glimpse of promise for the future