Nepal's WAFF Women's Championship dream dashed in penalties, Jordan claims title

KATHMANDU: Nepal suffered a heartbreak in the final match of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women's Championship held at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as they were defeated by Jordan in a penalty shootout. The match commenced at 9:45 pm NST on Thursday.

Jordan, clinching their sixth title, emerged victorious over Nepal with a score of 5-3 in the penalty shootout. Despite it being their maiden appearance in the WAFF Women's Championship, Nepal displayed resilience, securing the first runner-up position.

In the penalty shootout, Gita Rana, Dipa Shahi, and Hira Bhujel successfully netted goals for Nepal, while Amrita Jaisi was unable to convert her opportunity. However, Jordan displayed precision, scoring all five of their penalties.

Initially, Nepal seized the lead with a goal in the first half. Sabita Ranamagar struck a remarkable volley from outside the D-box in the 29th minute, placing Nepal ahead. However, Jordan's Lana Feras equalized the game with a goal in the 74th minute.

Jordan then added another goal in the 89th minute, courtesy of Sarah Abu Sabbah. Nonetheless, Nepal managed to level the score to 2-2 in additional time of the second half, as Gita Rana found the back of the net from the penalty spot.

In the semifinals, Nepal defeated Lebanon 2-1, while Jordan secured a convincing 5-0 victory over Palestine to advance to the final. Notably, Nepal is ranked 115th in the FIFA rankings, while Jordan holds the 74th position. The Nepali team is under the leadership of Captain Angela Tumbapo Subba.