KATHMANDU: Nepal goalkeeper Kiran Kumar Limbu's herioc display went in vain as the team crashed to 2-0 defeat to India during an International friendly match in Mumbai. Defender Sandesh Jhinghan and striker Jeje Lalpekhlua strike in the second half was enough for India to triump in a pulsating encounter with arch-rival Nepal at the Mumbai Football Arena this evening. Nepal and India were playing a friendly match as part of a preparation for their upcoming AFC 2019 Asia Cup qualifier in home turf. Nepal will take on Yemen on June 13 at the APF Halchok Stadium and India will play against the Kyrgyzstan. Both the teams played a dour first half neither side seemed reluctant to take risk going forward and rarely created any half chances. Nepal's best chance fell to Nawayug Shrestha in the added minutes of the first half, Sujal Shrestha played a inch-perfect through ball to Shrestha before evading couple of challenges'. However, Shrestha collided with Indian custodian and defender, got up quickly as a ball bubbled to his feet, rather pulled the trigger wide of unguarded net. Nepal started the second half in better fashion and pegged the hosts in their territory in the early exchanges and went close of broking the deadlock. Rohit Chand tried his luck from distance on 52nd minute as he unleashed a pile driver from a 35 yards out without troubling a goalie. At the other end Chand cleared the ball of the line after a fast break by the hosts. Indian golie was called into action as he acrobatically pulled off a stunning save to deny Sujal Shrestha's curling effort a minute later. Finally, India broke the deadlock on the 59th minute as defender Sandesh Jhingan unleashed a volley past Kiran Limbu from six yard out, after Jeje Lalpekhlua chested down perfectly for the defender to swing his left foot. Nepal were pressing and pouring men forward for an equaliser, following a corner kick, Indian golie released a long ball forward, Biraj Maharjan failed to read the ball and bounced over his head, letting the striker through on goal. Instead, Maharjan hauled his man down and conceded a free-kick just outside the box earning a red card for himself and leaving a team with a man down to climb a high mountain. India were playing with ease against 10-man Nepal and creating chances at will only their strikers not converting those chances. India's Jeje Lalpekhlua India's most influential player on the pitch capped the game with a fabulous goal on 77th minute, guides a ball past full stretch dive of Limbu to his right after a cut back by Mohammad Rafique. Nepal's goalie Limbu again came to team rescue as he showed some brilliant reflex saves and pulled off a blinder to deny Jeje Lalpekhlua scoring his second of the night and India's third goal in the dying added minutes of the second half. In a latest FIFA ranking India are ranked 100th compared to Nepal 169th position. READ ALSO:

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