THIMPU: Nepal will take on Bangladesh this afternoon in their fourth match of the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship in Bhutan, a game that has turned into a do-or-die contest for the young Nepali side.
The match kicks off at 2:45 pm Nepali time at the Changlimithang Stadium. Earlier on Sunday, Nepal lost 3–0 to Bangladesh, leaving their hopes of winning the title hanging by a thread.
With a double round-robin format in place, Nepal must win all three of their remaining fixtures to stay in the title race. Another defeat today would mathematically eliminate them from contention, as either India or Bangladesh are assured to surpass nine points.
India currently lead the standings with nine points from three matches, followed by Bangladesh with six. Nepal sit third on three points, while hosts Bhutan remain winless at the bottom.
Nepal’s campaign began with a heavy 7–0 defeat against India, but they bounced back with a narrow 2–1 win over Bhutan before Sunday’s loss to Bangladesh. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have shown steady progress in women’s football across all age categories. They beat Bhutan 3–1 in their opener before losing 2–0 to India.
Nepal, by contrast, continue to lag behind India and Bangladesh in youth football development, often struggling even against Bhutan.
The four-team tournament features Nepal, India, Bangladesh and hosts Bhutan, with the title awarded to the team collecting the most points.
Nepal’s remaining fixtures:
August 27: Bangladesh vs Nepal
August 29: India vs Nepal
August 31: Bhutan vs Nepal
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