Nepal enters semi with 12-0 win

Picture Courtesy: dawn.com

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Dec 18: Nepal booked semifinal berth as the group B winners on Saturday in the First SAFF Women’s Football Championship Tournament at Cox’s Bazar,
Bangladesh.

Nepal’s shower of goals continued on Sunday as well when they hammered Pakistan 12-0 during their last group match to maintain their cent percent winning streak.
Now Nepal will take on hosts Bangladesh for a place in the final on Tuesday.

Anu Lama scored her third hat-trick in a row for Nepal. Earlier, Lama had completed hat-trick against 6-0 victory over Maldives and four goals against Afghanistan in their 13-0 win.

Likewise, skipper Jamuna Gurung and Laxmi Paudel scored two goals each, Mira Maharjan, Pramila Rai, Sajana Rana and Ranjana Dali added one goal apiece.

Following, Saturday’s victory, number of goals scored by Nepal has reached 30 in Bangladesh SAFF. Of the total goals scored, Lama has succeeded in scoring 10 and skipper Gurung eight goals. Both of them have netted 15 goals apiece in international events.

Lama had put Nepal ahead in the 15th minute and Maharjan doubled the tally six mintues later. Paudel added another in the 35th minute as Nepal lead the first half 3-0.

Nepal which came up with aggressive show after the interval added four other goals within six minutes. Gurung scored in the 50th, Rai in the 52nd, Rana in 53rd and Lama added her second in the 56th minute. She completed her hat-trick in the 69th. Paudel netted another in the 77th and Dali sent at the back of the net five minutes later. Gurung scored her individual second goal in the 87th minute and a minute Nepal were rewarded with an own goal.

In the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) held in January this year, Nepal had defeated Pakistan 7-0. On the occasion, Nepal had won silver after they lost 3-1 to India in the final. During the SAG Gurung had scored seven and Lama netted five goals.

Bangladesh fixed the semifinal date with Nepal after they finished runners up of group A coming behind India. In the SAG, Nepal had downed home Bangladesh 1-0. India will take on group B runners up Pakistan in the semifinal on Monday.