KATHMANDU: The Nepali national women’s football team has returned home from Uzbekistan after competing in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers. Despite putting up a spirited performance throughout the tournament, Nepal suffered a painful exit in their final match, losing to Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout.
The team landed at Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday afternoon. Speaking to the media upon arrival, striker Sabitra Bhandari ‘Samba’ expressed deep disappointment over the result, saying the missed opportunity in the penalty shootout will haunt the players for a long time.
“We fought back even after trailing by three goals and pushed the match to penalties, but failing to convert two shots was heartbreaking,” said Samba. “We had our chances but couldn’t turn them into results. This game will linger with us for years to come.”
She acknowledged that the team struggled to adapt early in the decisive match, especially in the opening ten minutes. However, she credited the coach’s consistent motivation for helping the squad fight back. Despite discomfort with Uzbekistan’s weather conditions, Samba said the wins against Sri Lanka and Laos were morale boosters.
Reflecting on the journey, Samba revealed that she couldn’t sleep on the nights of all three matches and admitted that internal tensions, particularly involving the team captain, did cause some issues. Still, she insisted that everyone played with full responsibility.
Calling the AFC qualifiers the biggest tournament of her career, she said the experience had been invaluable. “Uzbekistan is a much stronger side than us, but we’ve come back with important lessons,” she added.
The team received warm appreciation at the airport for their effort and resilience, even in defeat — a performance that many fans and analysts have described as promising for the future of women’s football in Nepal.
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