By Sachit Subba • Football • Mar 21, 2025 14:48 PM • 175 views
KATHMANDU — In a momentous night for Nepali football, the national team etched its name into the history books with a hard-fought 1-0 win over hosts Singapore in an international friendly at the Singapore National Stadium on Friday.
Gillespie Jung Karki delivered the decisive moment early, finding the back of the net in the 12th minute — a goal that ultimately stood as the match-winner. It marked Nepal's first-ever victory against Singapore, ending a decades-long wait for redemption.
The triumph carries extra significance given the historical context. Nepal's previous encounters with Singapore were steeped in disappointment. Their last meeting, during the 1989 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, saw Singapore hand Nepal a 7-0 thrashing. In another encounter in the same qualifying campaign, Singapore triumphed 3-0. Even earlier, in the 1982 King's Cup, Nepal fell 2-0 to the same opponents.
But on Friday, Nepal flipped the script — showing grit, discipline, and tactical maturity to hold off a persistent Singaporean side on home soil.
This victory also serves as a morale-boosting statement ahead of Nepal's AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign. The team now shifts its focus to a crucial clash against Malaysia on Tuesday, carrying momentum and belief from a landmark win that may signal the dawn of a new era for Nepali football.
