Nepal on Tuesday lost their group-stage game of the SAFF U19 Championship with host India 0-4 at the Yupia-based Golden Jubilee Stadium in Arunachal Pradesh. Nepal will now face Bangladesh in the semi-final of the tournament.

Nepal and India were competing for the top of the table in Group B. They defeated the other group opponent, Sri Lanka, in the previous encounter: India won by 8-0 on May 9 and Nepal by 5-0 on May 11.

In the tournament between six teams, where the Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh made up Group A, the top two teams from each group progress to the semi-final. Thus, India, after defeating Nepal, became the leader of Group B.

Nepal conceded two goals in the first half. Thangjam Roshan Singh and Omang Dodum scored those within a minute, at the 28th and 29th minutes, respectively.

India were all over the field, mostly on Nepal’s half. They pressured the visitors in front of a handsome home crowd and kept attacking. Meanwhile, Nepali attack proved inefficient, hardly seen in the opponent’s half.

Nepal goalie Bhakta Bahadur Pariyar put on a valiant effort to limit the goal rush but he could do only so much in the face of India’s top-class attack. He thus conceded two more in the second half. Rohen Singh made it 3-0 in the 75th minute, while Danny Meitei’s goal in the 83rd minute sealed the game.

Nepal, as the runner-up of Group B, will now face Group A winner Bangladesh in the semi-final on May 16. India will play the Maldives, Group B runner-up, in the other semi-final clash on the same day.

The Maldives played a crucial 2-2 draw with Bhutan in the first game of Tuesday to secure a place in the semi-final. The Maldives also played a 2-2 draw with Bangladesh on May 9.