Nepal, India fist friendly ends 1-1 draw

KATHMANDU: Nepal and India scored a goal each during a friendly match played at the Dashrath Stadium in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu on Thursday evening.

Though Nepal opened the scoring spree with Anjan Bista’s goal in the first half, it could not hold the Indian side from netting the ball for an equalizer.  

Bista scored the goal in the 36th minute of the match utilizing a mistake at the back from India. Anjan Bista intercepted a low-power back pass by an Indian defender,  rounded up the goalkeeper and put the ball into the empty net. 

India’s Anirudh Thapa scored the goal in the 60th minute. Indian Captain Sunil Chhetri received the ball around 30 yards away from the goal, swiveled and unleashed a long-range effort. Nepalis goalkeeper Kiran Kumar Limbu somehow kept the ball out. Thapa rushed in to bundle the ball home.

Nepali midfielder Tej Tamang was declared the man of the match.  

The two teams will play the second friendly match on Sunday, next week.