14 Chait, Kathmandu. Nepal is tied with Bhutan in the Prime Minister’s Cup tri-nation football tournament. This is the first tie with Bhutan in Nepal’s football history. Earlier, Nepal had won all the 13 matches played.
With Nepal trailing 1–0, Deepak Singh Thakuri scored a goal in the last minute of regular time off Anant Tamang’s header from Nishan Khadka’s corner.
In the 50th minute of the match, after Anjan Bisht was injured, Thakuri entered the field and collided with Bhutan’s goalkeeper Chiring Dhendup and went out of the field.
Nepal also reached the final with a 1–1 draw with Bhutan. Nepal will play the final against Laos on 17th. In the first match, with Nepal losing 2–0, Laos defeated Bhutan.
Bhutan is at home despite ties with Nepal.
Earlier, Bhutan’s Tenzing Norbu scored in the 19th minute of the match. Tenzing Norbu gave the team the lead with a header from Dawa Charing’s corner.
Even though they held on to that lead until the last minute of regular time, Nepal struck back.
Earlier in the 19th minute of the game, Bhutan’s Chonche Galsen created a good chance by beating Rohit Chand. But that ball was cleared by Anant Tamang in front of the post.
In the 45th minute, Pujan Uparkoti’s headed pass from Naveen Lama’s corner was cleared over the post by Sanis Shrestha in the 45th minute.
Deepakraj Singh Thakuri’s shot went over the post in the 70th minute. After 7 minutes, Manish Dangi beat the Bhutanese defender and the ball went over the second fence from the right.
Nepal scored a goal in the injury time of the second half, but the referee called it off-side.
The winner of the competition will receive US$ 5000 and the runner-up will receive US$ 3000.
The best player of the tournament will get US$500. The prize money was supported by the National Sports Council.
Photos: Chandra Bahadur Ali/Online News