Nepal’s hopes of advancing in the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asia Cup joint qualifiers suffered significantly as they succumbed to a 2-0 loss against Yemen at Tuesday Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar. This marked Nepal’s second consecutive defeat in the qualifiers, following their earlier 4-0 loss to the United Arab Emirates.
On the other hand, Yemen secured a crucial victory, putting them in a solid position in Group “H” with three points from two games. Bahrain currently leads the group with six points, having won both matches.
Nepal’s defeat was sealed with goals from substitute players in the second half. Omar Abdullah Al Dahi broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, stunning the 13,735 spectators with an impressive solo effort. He manoeuvred past three Nepalese defenders from outside the penalty box to unleash a powerful strike that found the top corner of the net.

In the match’s dying moments, Yemen added another goal to their tally, this time through Mohammed Abdullah Al Dahi in the 90th minute. The goal put the game beyond any doubt and secured Yemen’s victory.
The match saw some contentious moments, including a disputed goal attempt by Nepal in the fourth minute. Yemen goalkeeper Abdullah Al Saadi fouled Nepalese striker Jellespijung Karki during a header attempt by defender Ashish Chaudhary, but the referee failed to award a penalty.
Despite Nepal’s efforts, Yemen dominated the field, displaying superior ball control and creating more scoring opportunities. Nepal’s defence struggled to contain Yemen’s attacks, and their inability to convert their chances proved costly.
The defeat leaves Nepal with significant challenges to overcome in the ongoing qualifiers.