All departments of Nepali team including defense, midfield and forward flopped disappointing the jam packed home crowd. Nepal´s performance on Saturday looked poorer than the first match. [break]Nepal could make only a couple of attempts on goal during the entire match while Pakistan tested Nepali custodian Kiran Chemjong frequently and had more than half a dozen shots on goal.
Pakistan broke the deadlock in the 65th minute to stun the home supporters through Muhammad Mujahid, who had entered three minutes earlier in replacement of Saeed Ahmed. Mujahid tapped in a cross from Hassan Bashir from the six-yard box. Nepali defenders Sandip Rai and Biraj Maharjan had left the scorer unmarked.
Among 13 encounters between the two sides, Nepal has won five, lost four and drawn four matches.
PHOTO: DIPESH SHRESTHA
"I take responsibility for the defeat," said Nepal´s Polish coach Jack Stefanowski who had come up with his ´full strength´ team in the match and made as many as five substitutions. "I have formed the team myself without interference from anywhere."
The coach who had tested six new players in the first friendly came up with Nepal´s old team formation in 4-3-3 format. Stefanowski had assigned attacking job to forwards Bharat Khawas, Anil Gurung and midfielder Jagjeet Shrestha in the starting XI. Santosh Sahukhala came in the 73rd minute in replacement of Bijay Gurung.
Nepal dominated the match in the initial 15 minutes but later Pakistan took the match under control. Nepal´s first chance came in the fourth minute but Anil Gurung headed above the bar in a right flank cross from Bharat Khawas. Gurung´s 83rd minute header was denied by Pakistani custodian cum skipper Jaffar Khan.
"Nepal´s preparation is in progress and we need more time to prepare for the Challenge Cup," coach Stefanowski said, adding that he will evaluate the players before the start of the Challenge Cup Qualifiers in March. Regarding his side´s poor midfield Stefanowski said, "We need to find the right combination in the midfield."
PHOTO: DIPESH SHRESTHA
Nepal´s custodian Kiran Chemjong made some brilliant saves. Chemjong denied Hassan Bashir´s twin strikes in the 30th and 32nd minutes. Earlier Chemjong had punched Yasir Afridi´s 25-yard strike to safety.
Pakistan´s coach Zavisa Mildzovic was delighted with his side´s performance. "I made lot of changes today and the players followed my instructions," said Mildzovic who was full of praise for his players. "We played better than the last match and controlled ball possession."
Nepal´s starting XI
Kiran Chemjong (GK), Sagar Thapa (C), Biraj Maharjan, Sandip Rai, Rabin Shrestha, Bhola Silwal, Raju Tamang, Bijay Gurung, Bharat Khawas, Anil Gurung, Jagjeet Shrestha
Substitutions: Rajendra Rawal (34´), Amar Dangol (38´), Nirajan Khadka (46´), Santosh Sahukhala (73´), Anil Ojha (90´)
Skipper Thapa reaches 50-match milestone
KATHMANDU: Nepal´s skipper Sagar Thapa won 50 caps for the national team on Saturday during the second friendly against Pakistan which Nepal lost 1-0. "Today we had aimed for a win and planned to celebrate my 50th match for the national team. But it was our bad luck," said Thapa, who made his debut for the national team during the second leg of Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam in Inchen, South Korea in 2003.
PHOTO: DIPESH SHRESTHA
Thapa, the libero of the national team, got the captain´s armband against Kyrgyzstan during the AFC Challenge Cup in March 2009 in Kathmandu. "We need to practice more and improve our fitness for the Challenge Cup. There have been problems in the forward line-up for a long time and we are trying to improve it."
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