Hosts Nepal advanced into the final of the Saff U-15 Championship with a nervy 4-2 victory over Bangladesh at the Anfa Complex in Satdobato on Friday.

In the final match on Sunday, Nepal meet India who overcame Bhutan 3-0 in another semi-final at the APF grounds in Halchowk. The final will be a rematch between the two teams after India prevailed 2-1 over the hosts during the group stage game on Wednesday.

Forward Akash Budha Magar netted a first half brace for Nepal who were also gifted an own goal after an hour mark. Bangladesh, trailing 3-0 after 70 minutes, left the home supporters stunned with Md Foysal Ahmed Fahim scoring twice in two minutes midway into the second half. The twin strike ignited hopes for Bangladesh comeback but Nepal held firm and Birjesh Chaudhary sealed Nepal’s victory scoring in the last minute of the second half added time.

Nepal were lucky to ahead 3-0 up in the game getting into the score sheet in unconvincing manners. It were defensive lapses and poor goalkeeping from Bangladesh that put Nepal in driving seat. The hosts opened the scoring through Budha Magar in the sixth minute after the forward pounced to score in a Randip Paudel left flank cross outside the six-yard box after Bangladeshi defender Sadekujaman Fahim failed to clear the ball of his reach.

Budha Magar doubled the advantage during half-an-hour mark taking advantage of misunderstanding between Bangladesh keeper M Emon Hawaldar and defender. He tapped in Deepak Bhandara’s header from the crowded six-yard zone to score sending the ball between the legs of Hawaldar. Nazmul Biswas’ 65th minute clearance cost dearly for Bangladesh after he send the ball at own post in an attempt to clear Karlosh Bakhariya’s right flank cross.

But Bangladesh forward Fahim cut the deficit in the 73rd minute unleashing a scorcher from the edge of the box after Yeasin Arafat set for him applying slight touch in a freekick. A minute later, forward Md Habibur Rahman, a 63rd minute replacement of Md Minhazul Karim Shadin, struck in a goalmouth melee. Rahman’s deft touch headed into the nets after Ahsim Gurung’s clearance rebounded from the upright.

The spirited visitors began exerting more pressure following the comeback as Nepali supporters went through tensed final moments until Chaudhary sealed the game. Bangladesh dominated the game in the six-minute stoppage time with all 10 players setting camp at the Nepali half and it allowed Chauhdary to score. Chaudhary beat past an advancing Hawaldar after he was fed inside the box by skipper Roshan Rana Magar.

“The boys played well, but they lost confidence in the last 10 minutes of the match,” Nepal’s coach Sunil Shrestha said referring to the pressure his side had to come under after conceding two goals. “We should have played defensive game after taking the 3-0 lead and I had even instructed the players to do that. But it was not executed.”

His Bangladeshi counterpart Mostafa Anwar Parvez said that his side conceded silly goals due to their own misunderstanding adding: “We created numerous chances, but failed to convert them,” Parvez said. “The result say Nepal a better side than Bangladesh, but the situation is not like that.”

In Halchowk, India got better of Bhutan with goals from Vikram Pratap Singh (20 minute), Harpreet Singh (75 minute) and Ridge Melvin Demello (90+2 minute).

Results

Nepal 4-2 Bangladesh

India 3-0 Bhutan