By Sachit Subba • Football • Mar 25, 2025 16:15 PM • 136 views
Kathmandu: Nepal suffered a 2-0 defeat against Malaysia in their opening match of the third round of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on Tuesday. Playing at the Sultan Ibrahim Larkin Stadium, the home side dominated proceedings, securing a comfortable victory.
Malaysia took the lead in the 29th minute when Hector Havel found the back of the net. The hosts continued to apply pressure, and in the 71st minute, Laverne Corbin Ong doubled their advantage, sealing all three points.
With this win, Malaysia has made a strong start in Group 'F', which also includes Nepal, Vietnam, and Laos. Each team will play six matches in a home-and-away format, with the group winner earning direct qualification for the 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
In Tuesday's other Group 'F' fixture, Vietnam cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory.
Nepal will look to bounce back in their second group-stage match against Laos on June 10.
