KATHMANDU: Nepal defeated Maldives 2-1 in men’s football in the 13th South Asian Games underway in Kathmandu on Saturday.

The match took place at Dasharath Stadium in Tripureswor.

With this win, Nepal has got seven points from three matches topping the scoreboard.

Likewise, the Maldives has secured two points from the tournament. However, the team is relegated to the last position on the board, which means its journey to win a gold medal has ended.

The Maldives made a strong start with a goal by Abraham Mahudi Hussain in the 18th minute, putting the team to 1-0 lead.

Nepal equaled the match with a goal by Abhishekh Rijal in the 43rd minute.

Similarly, Nepal’s Ananta Tamang scored a decisive goal in the 52nd minute leading to Nepal’s 2-1 win. Tamang made a head goal to double Nepal’s score in a corner kick by Sunil Bal.