Nepal U-19 suffered a tough 4-0 defeat against India in their final Group B match of the SAFF U-19 Championship on Tuesday. The match, held at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Arunachal Pradesh, saw Nepal U-19 outplayed as India secured top spot in the group.
India’s early goals stun Nepal
India took early control of the match with two quick goals in the first half. Rohen Singh scored the opener in the 28th minute after a deflected cross fell kindly for him. Just a minute later, Omang Dodum made it 2-0 with a stylish finish, thanks to an assist from Danny Meitei.
Nepal U-19 tried to respond but couldn’t break down India’s organized defense. India continued to dominate possession and kept pressing for more goals.
Second-half control seals the win
After the break, Nepal U-19 struggled to match India’s pace. Rohen Singh struck again in the 76th minute, scoring his second of the match by reacting first to a saved shot. Danny Meitei rounded off the scoring in the 84th minute, converting a rebound after the Nepal goalkeeper Bhakta Bahadur Pariyar saved a long-range shot.
With this result, India finished Group B with 6 points and a +12 goal difference. Nepal ended second in the group with 3 points, having beaten Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament.
Nepal U-19 set for semifinal showdown with Bangladesh
Despite the loss, Nepal advanced to the semifinals and will now face Group A winners Bangladesh, the defending champions. The match will take place on Friday, May 16 at 3:30 PM IST.
India, on the other hand, will play against Maldives, the runners-up from Group A, at 7:30 PM IST on the same day.
Nepal U-19 will need to regroup quickly and improve their defense and finishing if they hope to challenge a strong Bangladesh side. This will be a key test for Nepal U-19 in their bid to reach the final.
