Heartbreak in Goa: Stoppage-Time Disaster Knocks Nepal Out of SAFF Women's Championship
GOA, INDIA — Nepal’s pursuit of a regional crown ended heartbreakingly at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. A dramatic stoppage-time own goal propelled reigning champions Bangladesh into the SAFF Women’s Championship final with a 2-1 victory. The semi-final clash added another fiery chapter to one of South Asian football's modern rivalries. Nepal, record six-time finalists, were left stunned, condemned to only their second-ever semi-final exit in tournament history. Nepal, which had historically fallen to Bangladesh in the last two consecutive tournament finals, looked primed to exact revenge early on. The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Deepa Shahi floated a dangerous corner into the box. A misjudged claim by the Bangladeshi goalkeeper allowed Gita Rana to pounce, unleashing a clinical strike from just outside the six-yard box to give Nepal a 1-0 lead. It marked Rana's second crucial goal of the tournament. Nepal nearly doubled their advantage in the 36th minute when Preeti Rai unleashed a venomous rocket, only for the Bangladeshi keeper to brilliantly tip it onto the crossbar. Missing that cushion proved costly. Bangladesh, showing the resilience of back-to-back champions, engineered a comeback. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Ritu Porna Chakma struck a psychological blow. She curled a corner directly into the net after the ball slipped through the fingers of Nepali custodian Anjila Tumbappo Subba. The equaliser shifted the momentum. Both teams entered the tunnel locked at 1-1.  The second half became a breathless, end-to-end tactical battle. Nepal squandered a golden opportunity in the 47th minute. Rekha rounded the keeper after a defensive miscue but saw her shot rattle off the woodwork of an empty net. As the clock ticked down, Subba made a spectacular 68th-minute save to deny Bangladesh’s forward, Sagorika. Nepal’s Deepa Shahi then missed a late chance in the 90th minute. With extra time looming and the match locked at 1-1, disaster struck for Nepal in the dying seconds of injury time. A dangerous cross from Tohura Khatun caused chaos in the Nepali penalty area; defender Gita Rana's attempted clearance deflected cruelly off teammate Preeti Rai's knee and into the net. While the final match report officially credited the decisive touch to a pressing Sagorika, the impact was unchanged. Nepal's 2-1 defeat stings: for the first time in a decade, they have missed the SAFF final, a repeat of their heartbreak in 2016. For powerhouse Bangladesh, jubilation—the win seals a third straight final as they fiercely defend their regional throne. Now, they anxiously await the victor of the much-anticipated semifinal between hosts India and the surging Bhutanese squad.
