Chittagong, April 6:

Nepal played a 1-1 draw against Sri Lanka but it was Bhutan — who held Brunei to a goalless draw — that helped Nepal secure the quarter-final berth in the AFC Challenge Cup Football Championship here at MA Aziz Stadium today.

Sri Lanka topped Group ‘B’ with seven points while Nepal, tied at four points with Brunei, entered the last eight on better goal difference. Sri Lanka will take on Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals on Saturday whereas Nepal face Group ‘A’ winners India on Sunday.

Again, it was Pradeep Maharjan who rescued Nepal from the brink of defeat with an equaliser in the 75th minute. Nepal earned a penalty after Sanjaya Pradeep Kumara brought down Vijay Gurung inside the area and Pradeep converted the spot kick. Pradeep was the hero of the first game when he netted twice in Nepal’s 2-0 win over Bhutan on Sunday.

Sri Lanka took a lead in the 19th minute through Mohamed Izzadeen Mohamed Naufer’s corner that curled straight into the nets.

Nepal’s poor finishing continued in the match while they also had tough time piercing Sri Lankan defence. As draw was enough to ensure their berth in the quarter-finals, Sri Lanka immediately resorted to defensive strategy after leading by a goal.

Vijay Gurung wasted a chance following Sagar Thapa’s long pass in the 17th minute when he failed to control the ball inside the box. Sri Lankan defender Kamaldeen Fuard cleared Vijay Gurung’s strike from the goalline before Fuard made yet another save on Tashi Tsering’s corner kick a minute later. Apart from these, Nepali booters failed to create other chances in the game played for the first time under tremendous heat. They played previous matches under lights.

Nepal played a better game in the latter half and Surendra Tamang, who replaced Suman Subedi, was denied by Sri Lankan goalie Tilakratane Sugath in the 53rd minute. In the 56th minute a solo effort from Nepal’s Raju Tamang was cleared by Sri Lanka’s Sanjaya Pradeep Kumara. Basanta Thapa missed a certain goal in the injury time when the star striker shot over the bar.

Chief coach of Nepal Shyam Thapa said that his strikers failed to deliver as in the previous games. Praising the Sri Lankan effort, Thapa said, “we didn’t win because of the poor finishing.”