Nepal defeated Pakistan 1-0 in their final Group A match of the 2023 SAFF Championship on Tuesday. The win helped Nepal finish their campaign with three points, while Pakistan ended the tournament without a single point.
The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating chances. Nepal took the lead in the 80th minute through Aashish Chaudhary, who scored from close range after being set up by Laken Limbu. Pakistan pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but they were unable to find a way through the Nepal defence.
The win was a much-needed boost for Nepal, who had lost their previous two matches in the tournament. It also gave them a measure of revenge for their 4-0 defeat to Pakistan in the 2022 edition of the SAFF Championship.
Nepal’s coach, Vincenzo Alberto Annese, was pleased with his team’s performance. He said, “We played well in the first half and created some good chances. We could have scored more goals, but we were a bit unlucky. In the second half, Pakistan came out stronger and put us under pressure. But we defended well and managed to get the win.”
Pakistan’s coach, Shahzad Anwar, was disappointed with his team’s performance. He said, “We didn’t play well today. We were slow in possession and we didn’t create enough chances. We need to improve our performance if we want to be successful in the future.”
The win over Pakistan helped Nepal finish their SAFF Championship campaign on a high. They will now look to build on this performance in their upcoming matches.