Nepal wins gold in SAG men’s football after 23 years

Kathmandu / February 15: Nepal repeated history to win the gold medal in the South Asian Games men’s football defeating India after 23 years.

Prakash Budhathoki and Nawayug Shrestha netted in second half to stun India at its home. This is the first time Nepali football team won SAG after 1993.

But they succeeded in coming back to the game with Prakash Budhathoki’s goal off a stunning free-kick in the 66th minute. Budhathoki, who substituted Man Bahadur Tamang in the 41st minute, added Nepal’s attacking flair in the second half. Kuthu also made some brilliant reflex saves, keeping Nepal’s hope to make a comeback in the game.

Nepal had entered the finals defeating Maldives 4-3 in sensational semifinal match on Saturday. Nawayug Shrestha had scored hat-trick, his second in the tournament, to rescue 10-man Nepal that were lagging 2-3 in the extra-time then. He had scored two goals in the dying moments of the crucial fixture.

It is third gold medal for Nepal in the 12th edition of SAG. Earlier, Nepal had won one gold medal each in Wushu and Judo.