Nepal U-20 Women’s team eliminated after North Korea defeat

KATHMANDU: The Nepalese national U-20 women’s football team, which traveled to Bhutan with hopes of qualifying for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup, returned home after a mixed display in the qualifiers.

Their campaign ended following a heavy 11-0 defeat against Asian powerhouse North Korea in the final and decisive group match.

The match, held Sunday at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, saw Nepalans overwhelmed by the three-time world champions North Korea.

The North Koreans dominated from the start, scoring five goals in the first half and adding six more in the second, leaving Nepal defenseless throughout the game.

This defeat ended Nepal’s faint hopes of advancing as group runners-up.

Earlier in the qualifiers, Nepal showed mixed results. The team began with a 1-1 draw against hosts Bhutan and then secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, keeping their qualification hopes alive until the last game.

However, despite the morale boost from the win over Saudi Arabia, Nepalese players could not match the speed and tactics of the world’s strongest youth team, North Korea.

North Korea topped Group A with three consecutive wins and nine points, earning direct qualification for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup scheduled next year in Thailand.

Nepal finished the tournament with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points.