KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 18

Nepal conceded two goals in the last minute as the national women's football team squandered a lead to face a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Philippines in the group stage match of the AFC Asian Cup in Tashkent today.

Bimala Chaudhary put Nepal ahead early in first half, while Tahnai Annis and Camille Wilson scored for Philippines in the space of two minutes.

Nepal will now face Hong Kong in second and last match on Tuesday.

Chaudhary opened the scoring in the 10th minute of the match when she headed home following a cross from Sabita Rana. Nepal received the first blow when goal-scorer Chaudhary was injured and replaced by Anita Basnet in the 39th minute.

At a time when the match was coming to its end, Nepal conceded two goals and they were forced to return empty handed. Tahnai Annis levelled the scores for the Philippines capitalising on the lack of coordination among Nepali defenders after they failed to communicate properly in offside trap and paid the heavy price for the error.

The Nepali defenders faltered for the second time two minutes later as they failed to clear the ball inside the penalty box and Camille Wilson found the back of the nets in the second minute of the injury time. Nepali defender Bimala BK made her national team debut from the match when she replaced midfielder Puja Rana in the 57th minute. A version of this article appears in the print on September 19 2021, of The Himalayan Times.