By Sachit Subba • Age Group sports • Aug 06, 2025 15:46 PM • 150 views
Thimphu, Bhutan – Nepal's campaign at the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers began on a disappointing note as they were held to a 1-1 draw by hosts Bhutan at the Changlimithang Stadium on Wednesday. Coming into the match as favourites and having scored 14 goals against Bhutan in their previous two encounters, Nepal were expected to dominate Group A's second fixture. However, the performance on the pitch fell far short of expectations, leaving their qualification hopes for the 12th edition of the tournament—set to take place in Thailand next year—in jeopardy. Nepal struck early, taking the lead just 38 seconds into the match, courtesy of attacking midfielder Senu Pariyar. The goal came from a well-placed cross from the left wing by Sukriya Miya, which found an unmarked Senu inside the box. She coolly slotted the ball past Bhutanese goalkeeper Pema Yangzom, who had charged out in an attempt to clear. Despite the dream start, Nepal struggled to maintain control and rhythm. Bhutan found the equaliser in the 18th minute through Kelden Wangmo, who capitalised on a neat pass from Namzel Wangjom. Kelden outmanoeuvred Nepal's right-back Simran Rai before calmly beating goalkeeper Leela Joshi to level the score. Bhutan grew into the game and even created several promising chances in the second half, but was unable to convert. Nepal, meanwhile, looked disjointed in attack and failed to regain its early momentum, managing only a handful of efforts on goal.
The result is a significant blow to Nepal's hopes of advancing to the final tournament in Thailand. With Group A featuring football giants North Korea, a three-time FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup winner and defending AFC champion, as well as Saudi Arabia, Nepal needed nothing less than three points against a comparatively weaker Bhutanese side. The qualifiers feature 32 teams, divided into eight groups, with only the group winners and the three best runners-up advancing. In such a competitive format, dropped points in seemingly winnable matches could prove costly. Group A's opening match earlier in the day saw North Korea thrash Saudi Arabia 15-0, sending a strong message to the rest of the competition. Nepal will now face Saudi Arabia on Friday, a must-win match to keep their qualification hopes alive. Their final group-stage fixture is set for Sunday against North Korea—a daunting challenge by any measure. For Nepal, the road ahead just got steeper. Let me know if you'd like an opinion column, headline variations, or a social media version of this story.
