In a dramatic and emotionally charged encounter, Nepal's dreams of advancing further in the qualifiers came to a crushing end as they fell to Uzbekistan 4-2 in a penalty shootout after an intense 3-3 draw in regulation time. Despite a spirited second-half comeback, Nepal couldn't hold their nerve in the shootout, missing two crucial spot kicks, and are now officially out of contention for the tournament in Australia.
First Half: Early Blow and Sloppy Defense
The match got off to a disastrous start for Nepal, as Uzbekistan took the lead within just two minutes. Diyorakhan found herself unmarked inside the box and calmly slotted home, exposing Nepal's disorganized and sluggish defense. The early goal seemed to rattle the Nepali players, who struggled to cope with the tempo and pressing of the Uzbek side.
Nepal's first meaningful attacking move came in the 16th minute when Samba played a neat ball to Sabita, but her weak shot was comfortably gathered by the Uzbek goalkeeper. Gradually, Nepal began to string passes together, but lacked the confidence and creativity to seriously threaten the opposition box.
That changed in the 24th minute when Nepal found a lifeline. Star forward Sabitra Bhandari capitalized on a defensive lapse and coolly finished with a cheeky strike to bring Nepal back into the game at 2-1, after Uzbekistan had already doubled their lead earlier. The goal sparked a period of positive momentum for Nepal, who began to press higher and force mistakes from their opponents.
A substitution followed as Nisha Thokar made way for Preeti Rai in the 29th minute, giving Nepal more energy in midfield.
However, disaster struck again in the 39th minute when Saaswoti Hamal handled the ball inside the area during a challenge. Uzbekistan made no mistake from the spot, restoring their two-goal cushion at 3-1. The goal came at a crucial time, just as Nepal appeared to be gaining confidence.
A late free kick by Sabitra in injury time was straight at the keeper, and just before the break, a glimmer of hope appeared when Uzbekistan were reduced to 10 players. The first half ended 3-1 in favor of the hosts.
Second Half: Nepal’s Remarkable Comeback
Nepal returned to the pitch with renewed intent, sensing the opportunity to exploit the numerical advantage. In the 48th minute, a free kick from Renuka created a decent chance, but Sabita once again failed to guide her header on target.
By the 50th minute, Nepal began to dominate possession and dictate the tempo. Head coach made tactical substitutions at the hour mark, introducing Rekha Paudel and Anita KC for Anita Basnet and Rashmi Ghising, injecting fresh legs into the midfield.
The breakthrough came in the 71st minute, as an Uzbek player scored in an own post. And just a minute later, Samba found the back of the net again, leveling the score at 3-3 in a sensational comeback.
With momentum on their side and Uzbekistan down to 10 players, Nepal pushed for a winner. The final 20 minutes were intense, but neither side could find a decisive goal. Seven minutes of added time produced end-to-end action, but no breakthrough, sending the match into a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
Penalty Shootout: Agony for Nepal
In the high-stakes shootout, nerves got the better of Nepal. Sabitra Bhandari, normally so reliable in front of goal, saw her penalty saved. Anjana Rana Magar also failed to convert, while Uzbekistan were clinical from the spot, scoring all four of their attempts.
The shootout ended 4-2 in favor of Uzbekistan, crushing Nepal's hopes of qualifying for the tournament in Australia.
