Kathmandu, Dasharath Stadium—Bhutan pulled off a goalless draw against football powerhouse Nepal in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship on Friday, creating history. Bhutan has not lost against Nepal in the tournament’s seven editions for the first time, ending the long-standing Nepali dominance trend.

Nepal has always thrashed the opponents, scoring an astonishing 23 goals in their last four meetings against the four-time losers Bhutan, including two 8-0 routs. They were expected to do an easy job in front of a packed home crowd in Tripureshwar. However, Bhutan’s brilliant defensive display and the heroics of keeper Sangita Magar frustrated the hosts on Friday.

Magar was the match’s star without a shadow of a doubt. She single-handedly denied Nepal several times, making two crucial saves and keeping Bhutanese hopes alive. She also held the Nepalitless attacks at bay throughout football.

Dominant from the very first minute, Nepal created the first chance as early as the seventh minute when Sabita Ranamar’s effort missed the target. Striker Rashmikumari Ghising was sure to give Nepal the lead in the 13th-minute showpiece; with incredible athleticism, Mongar blocked the shot. Through marshalled Magar, Bhutan continued to tighten their defences to Nepal’s attack, including a missed effort from midfielder Preeti Rai, whose 17th-minute attempt sailed high over the bar.

Despite Nepal’s aggressive attacking intent, poor finishing coupled with Bhutan’s resolute resilience saw more missed opportunities. The breakthrough nearly came in the 20th minute through a corner as some confusion inside the box saw the header from defender Geeta Rana bounce off teammate Amisha Karki and wide. More chances fell by the wayside, one crucial save off the line in the 53rd minute by Bhutan’s Jamyang Choden, as Rekha Poudel had come close with a corner kick.

With time running out and Nepal getting desperate, Mongar was not relenting. The final nail in the coffin was driven in injury time when Savita’s last-minute strike rattling the post left Nepal to rue at the spurned chances.

In the day’s earlier match, Sri Lanka pipped Maldives 1-0 and also carried three crucial points in Group B. Nepal will meet Maldives in a do-or-die battle on October 5, while Bhutan plays with Sri Lanka the same day, hoping to capitalize on the unexpected result.

More than the result denting Nepal’s title aspirations, this draw underlines the increasing competitiveness of South Asian women’s football. The Bhutanese defensive masterclass and Magar’s brilliant individual performance will remain milestones in the girls’ footballing journey.