SAAF Championship Football: Nepal loses to Kuwait by 3-1

KATHMANDU, June 21: Nepal's national team has lost to Kuwait by 3-1 goals in the opening match of SAFF Championship Football on Wednesday. Kuwait scored two goals in the first half and one in the second half. Nepal scored only one goal in the second half. The match was played in the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore, India.

Captain Khalid Hajih scored the first goal for Kuwait in the 23rd minute of the match. The second goal was scored by Sabaib Al-Khaldi in the 42nd minute of the scheduled time.

The third goal for Kuwait was scored by Mohammad Abdullah through a penalty in the 65th minute of the scheduled time. Kuwait had an opportunity to shoot a penalty after Nepal's defender Anant Tamang touched the ball with his hand inside the penalty box.

Anjan Bista scored a goal in the 68th minute for Nepal. Before that, he got the ball near Kuwait's D-box in the 35th minute of the game. But he failed to score in the chance. This was the 50th match played by the Nepal team's defender Ananta Tamang for the national team.

The SAFF Championship is the biggest tournament in South Asian football. This is the 14th edition of the tournament. Eight nations are participating this time in the SAFF Championship. Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Kuwait and Lebanon are competing in the tournament. 

Sri Lanka could not participate in the tournament because of a ban by (FIFA). Kuwait and Lebanon were invited to participate in this year's tournament. 

Another match will be played between the host India and Pakistan on Wednesday evening.

Nepal is in Group 'A' of the tournament along with the defending champion India, Kuwait and Pakistan. Group B consists of Lebanon, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh. 

Nepal will play its second match against India on the 24th of June. Nepal will play its third and final match against Pakistan on the 27th of June.