Nirajan Dhami scored the sole goal in the first half against Sri Lanka, sealing the Gorkhalis all three points. Nepal’s Nirajan Dhami (10) celebrates after scoring against Sri Lanka during the SAFF U-20 Championship in Lalitpur on Sunday. Hemanta Shrestha/TKP
Hosts Nepal made a flying start to their SAFF U-20 Championship campaign as they defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 in the opening game at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, Kathmandu on Sunday.
Nirajan Dhami scored the sole goal in the first half, sealing Nepal all three points.
The victory puts Nepal in a strong position to reach their fifth semi-final of the biennial competition.
The top two teams from each group advance into the last four. The Gorkhalis play Bangladesh next, on Thursday.
Nepal are one of the tournament favourites alongside the winners of the last three editions, India, who start their defence of the title against Bhutan in Group B opener on Monday.
Nepal started brightly and thought they had taken the lead after just one minute when Dhami diverted a freekick from Abinash Syangtan into the net with a diving header but the goal was disallowed for an offside.
Dhami continued to become a threat to Sri Lanka and found the breakthrough in the 24th minute with a dazzling finish after good work from Samir Tamang, who skillfully placed the ball into the area for Dhami with an overhead kick.
Dhami’s goal had arrived after a string of attacks that saw Tamang’s volley hitting the upright in the 12th minute and Nirjan Karki testing the Sri Lanka goalkeeper Ahamed Shareef in the 19th minute.
Sri Lanka were helpless most of the time and never really troubled Nepal goalie Jiyarath Shekh, with their only attempt coming in the 35th minute when Johnjimron Harish’s cross almost managed to slip past Nepal goalkeeper.
Nepal were more comfortable after the break but wasteful on several occasions.
However, it was Sri Lanka who should have capitalised on a loose pass from Syangtan allowed captain Muhammedhu Munsif to charge into the Nepal area but the Gorkhalis soon outnumbered him.
Tamang should have doubled Nepal’s lead in the 63rd minute after Ram Thapa’s cutback found him unmarked just outside the six yard box but Tamang flashed the ball over the crossbar.
Nepal also had another clear opportunity in the 76th in a carbon copy of the previous opportunity, this time Syangtan passing the ball backwards for Ashwin Ghorasainee but the defender too ended up shooting over the post.
Bhomjan reached the goal in the 80th after Syangtan put him through but Sri Lanka goalkeeper Shareef reacted quickly to foil the opportunity.
Dhami made the last effort of the match with a brilliant volley but the crossbar again came between him and the goal.
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