Rekha Poudel scored a brace and Saru Limbu added another for the home team. Fatemeh Amiri and Fatemech Ghasemi replied for Iran. Limbu provided Nepal a 25th minute lead after brilliantly holding a corner from Manjari Kumari and guiding it into the nets from the six yards out. Iran drew level two minutes through Amiri.

Poudel again put the defending champions Nepal ahead with a 32nd minute goal. Poudel dribbled the ball from the centre before converting the goal. Poudel added her second goal in the 47th minute when she beat Iran’s custodian Maedeh Davaji in one-on-one situation after being fed by Samjhana Lawati. Iran cut the deficit deep into the injury time of the 70-minute game but the time it was too late for them to salvage a point. Ghasemi poke the ball to score from the crowded area.  Nepal coach Kishore KC was delighted with the full three points. “We played for victory which we got,” said KC. “But we need to work on our defence to make sure that we retain the title. They scored both the goals due to our defensive mistakes.”                                                                                

Despite the loss Iran coach Masoomeh Jahanchi was happy with the her team’s performance. “I am pleased with the way our girls played. At one time we thought had a chance to steal a point and even win the game,” said Jahanchi. She praised her girls for their hard work. “The girls have come a long way now and it appears that they are getting stronger.”  

In another match held at the Dashrath Stadium, India thrashed Bhutan 12-0. At the Nepal Army Physical Fitness Centre ground in Lalitpur, Sri Lanka dispatched Maldives 6-0. Nepal play Maldives in their second match on Tuesday. India take on Bangladesh and Iran face Sri Lanka in the other matches the day same day.