Football
Nepal stormed into the SAFF Women's Championship semi-finals after a comfortable 6-0 win over Sri Lanka in their last group match at Dasharath Stadium on Monday.
The hosts finished atop Group B with the victory, with Bhutan joining them in the last four as runners-up.
In the absence of Sabitra Bhandari, Amisha Karki led Nepal’s attack, scoring twice to take her tournament tally to four goals. Rashmi Kumari Ghising, Saru Limbu, Amrita Jaishi and Deepa Shahi netted one apiece.
The home side were quick off the blocks, launching one wave of attack after another. Rashmi Kumari Ghising opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a header of a cross from Hira Kumari Bhujel. Saru Limbu then doubled the lead a minute later, heading the ball home on a Punam Jargha Magar cross.
Sri Lanka hardly had a respite, as Nepal added another through Amrita Jaishi in the 17th minute to make it 3-0.
The Sri Lankans tried desperately to return into the game but a firm Nepali defence kept them at bay.
Nepal upped the tempo again and scored three minutes into the injury time. Lankan goalie Virsinghe’s poor clearance offered Dipa Shahi with a rebound in the six-yard box. And she made no mistake to give the home side a 4-0 lead at the end of first half.
Nepal started the second half from where they had left off the first. The Sri Lankans holding a tighter backline after the break, it took a while for Nepal to unlock their defence.
But Sri Lanka made a defensive error in the 77th minute and were punished instantly. Forward Karki was quick to punish them by chipping the ball over ’keeper Virsinghe to open her account in the match and put Nepal 5-0 up.
Nepal should have added a couple of goals but Karki wasted a clear chance in the 81st minute and Saru Limbu spurned the other in the 87th minute.
Karki, however, made amends for her earlier miss to score a beautiful goal with a solo effort. After making a maizy run through the middle of the pitch, she dribbled past the ’keeper to complete her brace and Nepal’s comfortable 6-0 win.
