10-Man Nepal Falls to Malaysia in Narrow 1-0 Defeat, Extending Winless Streak
KUALA LUMPUR — Despite a resilient defensive display in the first half, Nepal succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Group leaders Malaysia in the Asian Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday. The loss extends Nepal's worrying winless streak to eight games, on a night that ended in frustration after the team was reduced to 10 men in the dying moments. With their Asian Cup qualification hopes mathematically extinguished, Nepal entered the match playing for pride. Facing a Malaysian side sitting at the top of the table, the Nepali defence managed to frustrate the hosts early on, heading into the halftime break with the score locked at 0-0. However, the deadlock was broken shortly after the restart. In the 56th minute, Malaysia seized the advantage when Faisal Halim broke through the defensive line. Finding himself in a one-on-one situation against Nepal's captain and goalkeeper, Kiran Chemjong, Halim kept his composure and slotted the ball home to give Malaysia a 1-0 lead. Nepal struggled to mount a convincing comeback, failing to find the back of the net as the clock wound down. The situation went from bad to worse in the 90th minute when midfielder Laken Limbu was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, leaving Nepal to finish the game with ten men. The drama continued deep into stoppage time, with the referee awarding Malaysia a penalty following the incident. However, Malaysia failed to double their lead, with Paulo Josue blazing the spot-kick over the bar. The miss proved inconsequential, as Malaysia held on to secure the three points. **Context and Form** This fixture was technically a "home" game for Nepal but was played in Malaysia after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) deemed the pitch at Kathmandu's Dasharath Stadium unfit for international competition. This mirrors the first leg of the encounter, where Nepal suffered a 2-0 defeat. The result highlights a problematic period for the Nepali national team. Since their last victory—a 1-0 win over Singapore in March—Nepal has failed to register a win in eight consecutive matches, recording five losses and three draws in that span.
