By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Nepal managed to pull off a 1-1 draw against Bhutan with a late equalizer from Deepak Raj Singh Thakuri in an ongoing Prime Minister’s Three Nations Cup at Dasarath Stadium on Tuesday.
The match started with Bhutan taking an early lead in the 19th minute, thanks to a brilliant goal by Tenzin Norbu. Dawa Tshering’s corner kick found Tenzin, who headed the ball home to give Bhutan a lead. Nepal tried to make a comeback but couldn’t find the back of the net until the second half injury time.
In the dying moments of the game, Nepal finally found the equalizer through Deepak Raj Singh Thakuri, who stepped on the field to replace injured Anjan Bista in the 51st minute. Ananta Tamang headed the ball from Nishan Khadka’s corner, which found Deepak in the right place at the right time, and he directed the ball into the goalpost with a header.
This late equalizer from Deepak stopped Bhutan’s hopes of advancing to the tournament’s final, and now Laos and Nepal will battle it out in the final on Friday. The winners of the tournament will be rewarded with USD 5000 whereas the runners-up will purse USD 3000. Earlier, Nepal defeated Laos 2-0 in an inaugural match, and Laos beat Bhutan 2-1 in a thrilling encounter.
Nepal avoided a defeat against Bhutan for the first time in its footballing history, thanks to Deepak, who scored his maiden goal for Nepal. On the other hand, Bhutan made history by securing a draw against Nepal after losing all previous matches between the two teams.
