J Il Gwan scored the all important goal for the holders in the 32nd minute from the six-yard box taking advantage of defending errors as Nepali defenders failed to clear an unattended ball. Gwan easily beat the advancing goalie Kiran Chemjong to send the ball past net.[break]
“We conceded the worst goal,” Nepal´s British coach Graham Roberts commented about the goal, adding, that the result could have been in favor of Nepal had Bikash Singh Chhetri (defender) headed it.
In Halchowk ground, Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka 1-0 to open scoring in their points table and eased Nepal to enter the next stage. The result means, if DPR Korea beats Afghanistan in their last match and Nepal play draw or beat Sri Lanka, Nepal will qualify for the final stage. Similarly, if Nepal lose with narrow goal margin against Sri Lanka and DPR Korea beat Afghan with two goals margin then Nepal can make it to the next stage. Sri Lanka have lost both the matches played so far.
Korea are at the top of points table with six points while Nepal and Afghanistan are jointly in second position with 3 points apiece.
Nepal, tagged as ´underdogs´, put up an impressive show at the home ground to delight the almost packed stadium having capacity of 18,000 spectators. Nepal had to play with a man down for last ten minutes after Jagjeet Shrestha, a replacement of Ganesh Lawati was sent off for a back tackle to Pak Song Chol.
Nepal´s coach Roberts had come up with new formation against the Koreans, who had fielded seven players from their World Cup 2010 squad in starting line. He had assigned defending job to five player including captain Sagar Thapa, Bikash Singh Chhetri, Rabin Shrestha, Biraj Maharjan and Sandip Rai and all of them on most occasion fulfilled their duties perfectly. Giving a rest to striker Anil Gurung he had put APF player Ganesh Lawati as the only striker and the midfield line-up constituted of Nirajan Khadka, Raju Tamanag, Bhola Silwal and Bharat Khawas.
During the first half Nepal had to resist continuous pressure from the Koreans but in the second half coach made changes in his team formation and fielded Santosh Sahukhala and Jumanu Rai as forwards replacing Bharat Khawas and Raju Tamang from the beginning of second half. The changes remained effective and Nepal created some attractive moves but were unable to make proper finishing.
“I made tactical fault in the first half and the changes worked superbly,” Roberts said.
Nepal´s only post attack came in the 13th minute, when Silwal´s second bar strike from the box was taken by K Myong Gil.
The physically strong and quick Koreans made as many as a dozen post attacks but a heroic display from custodian Kiran Chemjong denied them from scoring on many occasions. “Nepal´s goalie was lucky. We appreciate his hard effort and quick reflex,” the Korean coach Su Yun Jong said.
Chemjong had made some spectacular saves in the 36th, 38th, 86th and 90th minute and during the stoppage time.
Coach Roberts heavily praised his side saying that all the players put their full effort. “The goalie and the center back were world class,” he said.
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