Forward Nawayug Shrestha struck his first international hattrick as Nepal stormed into the final of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup with an emphatic 4-1 win over Maldives in the second semifinal at the Bangabadhu National Stadium yesterday.
Bishal Roy struck the other goal for the Gorkhalis while Nashid Ahmed scored the consolation goal for Maldives.
The Red Snappers, who had come into the semifinal with the favourites’ tag, struggled to cope with the speed and pressure from the Nepalese from the beginning and conceded the lead on the half-hour mark.
Nawayug fired home from close to give Nepal the lead in the 31st minute after Bimal Gharti Magar, being set up by Bishal Bal, rattled the bar from inside the box. Nepal goalkeeper Bikesh Kuthu then denied Maldives striker Easa Ismali with a brilliantly save one minute before the break.
After resumption, Nepal continued to show their spirited performance and doubled the lead in the 53rd minute when Bishal Roy drove a miscued clearance by a Maldives defender home with his left foot.
Nepal took the match away from their opposition when Nawayug cleverly put the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper Faisal Mahamed in the 62nd minute.
Despite trailing by three goals, Maldives showed some character to reimburse one goal in the 76th minute, with Nashid Ahmed placing the ball at the far post after receiving an angular pass from Hassan Naiz and then Ibrahim Ansar hit the post in the 80th minute.
Nawayug completed the rout and his hattrick in the stoppage time to send a few hundred Nepalese supporters into wild celebration.
“It was my first international goal as well as my first international hattrick. It became possible because of our teammates, especially Bimal Gharti Magar, and I am really proud of this achievement,” said the Nepal Army striker.
“Nepal were better than us today [Tuesday] and they deserved this result. Probably they are the best team in the tournament and hats off to them,” said Maldives coach Ricki Herbert.
Nepal will face Bahrain in Friday’s final at the same venue.
