Nepal set to battle Bangladesh in SAFF Women’s Championship final today
After finishing as runners-up five times, Nepal aims to make the most of their home crowd and field advantage to clinch their first championship title.
KATHMANDU: n the SAFF Women’s Championship final today, hosts Nepal will once again face Bangladesh. The match kicks off at 6:30 PM at the Dasharath Stadium.
Historically, Nepal has only lost to Bangladesh once, which happened in the 2022 SAFF Championship final. Nepal reached the final of the SAFF Championship for the sixth time by defeating India in the semifinals through a 4-2 penalty shootout.
After finishing as runners-up five times, Nepal aims to make the most of their home crowd and field advantage to clinch their first championship title.
Nepal’s head coach, Rajendra Tamang, has stated that the team is ready to face the challenging opponent. Captain Anjila Subba Tumbapo expressed confidence in winning Nepal’s first international title by playing Nepal’s distinctive style of football.
Though Nepal has reached the finals of 11 international tournaments, they have yet to secure a title.
With players recently participating in the domestic league and performing well in foreign leagues, the Nepali team is in excellent form.
Sabitra Bhandari Samba’s swift runs, Preeti Rai’s brilliant crosses, Gita Rana’s strong defense, and Renuka Nagarkoti’s agile midfield could be the key to beating Bangladesh.
However, Nepal faces a setback as Rekha Poudel, along with Deepa Shahi and Hirakumari Bhujel, will be absent from the final.
Rekha, who scored seven goals in this SAFF tournament, received a red card against India, ruling her out of the final.
Defending champions Bangladesh defeated Bhutan 7-1 in the semifinals. Their captain, Sabina Khatun, acknowledged that facing Nepal in a packed stadium would be challenging for her young team, but she assured they are prepared. Coach Peter Butler remarked that the team that manages the atmosphere better than tactics could emerge victorious.
In the last encounter at Dasharath Stadium, Bangladesh defeated Nepal 3-1 to claim the championship.
India has won the SAFF Women’s Football title five times, while Bangladesh has claimed it once.
