Nepal lost to Kuwait by 4-1 on Saturday night to crash out from the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers. The second defeat in a row at Jaber Al Ahmed Stadium, Kuwait ended Nepal’s Asian Cup campaign from the group stage.
Nepal went down to Jordan by 2-0 in the opener last Thursday. Nepal will face Indonesia in the last match of the qualifiers on Tuesday.
After going down to host Kuwait, Nepal remained at bottom of the league standings with zero points. Jordan, after beating Indonesia 1-0, leads the table with six points. With equal three points Indonesia and Kuwait trail at the second and third position respectively. Kuwait occupied the third spot in the head-to-head system.
Yousef Al Sulaiman netted a brace while Fahad Alreshidi and substitute forward Mobarak Alfaneeni scored one goal apiece for the winning side.
Darshan Gurung’s consolation goal ended Nepal’s goal drought against Kuwait after 40 years. YB Ghale scored the first goal against Kuwait during the Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1982.
The group hosts opened the scoring in the 28th minute after Ali Khalaf sent a pinpoint cross from the right flank following a corner for Fahad Al Rashidi, who rose unmarked and headed home the opener.
Naser finally got his goal within three minutes of the restart. The 31-year-old latched onto a long pass from substitute Mubarak Al Faneeni, beat his marker and cut onto his left before drilling home past the Nepalese goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
A goal arrived at the other end in the 71st minute as substitute Bader Al-Mutawa, on his record-equalling 195th cap, broke free on the right and squared for Naser to sweep home his second of the night and Kuwait’s third.
Just two minutes later, Kuwait added a fourth through Al Faneeni who was left with the simplest of tasks when Naser squared Al Mutawa’s fine through pass for the youngster to apply the finishing touch with goalkeeper Karki in no man’s land for 4-0.
Nepal opened their account in the group deep in injury time as Gugung pounced on the rebound after his initial effort was blocked by the Kuwaiti defence, but it proved to be merely a consolation in the end as Kuwaitis picked up the points.
Nepal’s assistant coach Kiran Shrestha said he was satisfied with the performance of the players despite the loss.
“We lost the match but are satisfied with the performance against host Kuwait. We conceded three goals in the second half because of the lack of coordination between players,” Assistant Coach Shrestha said.
Assistant Coach Shrestha informed that Nepal will perform natural games against Indonesia.
Meantime, Nepal’s Head coach Abdullah Almutairi, who fainted during the 49th minute of the match against his home country Kuwait, was discharged from the hospital on Sunday.
Nepal’s team manager Madhusudhan Upadhaya informed that his health condition was normal and the hospital discharged him after the necessary treatment.
The host Kuwait Football Federation sent Almutairi to the hospital with oxygen after giving him a first aid treatment on the pitch.
Source : TRN,