Kathmandu, November 2

Bahrain youth team thrashed Nepal youth team in the second match of the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Thursday.

Nepal, who needed to win the match following their 2-0 defeat against hosts Kyrgyzstan in Group A match on Tuesday, conceded two goals in the last three minutes.

Ali Hasan Meftah scored a brace, while Ebrahim Mubarak Isa Alkhatal and Sayed Mohamed Ameen  Hussain netted one each for Bahrain. Meftah opened the scoring in the 20th minute capitalising on defensive error as the unmarked striker’s shot, following a throw-in,  from six-yard box entered the goal from between the legs of goalkeeper Arpan Karki.

Karki conceded another goal on similar fashion when he failed to stop Meftah’s shot in the 69th minute after the striker collected a throw-in ball and slammed home. Alkhatal extended the lead in the 87th minute on a rebound after Faisal Abdullah Saeed struck against the post. Adnan Fawas Alshiran collected the ball and set for Alkhatal, who headed home. Nepal were reduced to 10 men in the 89th minute when Dinesh Henjan was expelled for a foul and Hussain completed the rout with a goal in the third minute of the injury time.

Nepal will now play against the United Arab Emirates on Saturday and face Oman in their last match on November 8. A total of 41 countries are taking part in the qualifiers and they are divided into 10 pools. All the group winners and five best runners-up along with hosts Indonesia will earn berths in next year’s tournament proper.