Kathmandu, April 27

Nepali youth team faced heavy defeat at the hands of India, going down 9-0 in the opening match of the AFC U-14 Girls’ Regional Championship (South and Central) at the Aviator Stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Wednesday.

Thailand Devi Yumlembam and Sunita Munda scored braces, while Kaviprameshwari, Bannya Kabiraj, Santhiya Vengadajalam and Niketa Bishi netted one each. Nepal scored one own goal for India, who were also gifted with an own goal.

Bannya Kabiraj put India ahead seconds after kickoff, while Vengadajalam scored in the 11th minute. Skipper Yumlembam made it 3-0 in 13th minute, while a Nepali player netted an own goal in 18th minute. India went into the break with a 5-0 lead after Bishi scored in the 30th minute. India began the second half from where they had left and added four more goals. Kaviprameshwari extended the lead with a goal in the 39th minute, while Yumlembam scored her second goal in the 44th minute. Munda netted in the 45th and 65th minutes to seal the huge victory.

Nepal’s coach Binod Lama said the early goal put his team under pressure and that his girls could not perform as expected. “India scored soon after the kickoff and the girls were nervous. As a result, we failed to perform to our potential,” he said. “Indian forwards also outpaced our players which helped them in scoring goals in counter attack,” he added.