The men’s under-19 national football team of Nepal had to endure disappointment yet again in the recently concluded Under-19 Men’s South Asian Football Federation Championship in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh,India.
Host and defending champions India survived a big scare before getting the better of Bangladesh on penalty shootout to lift the trophy. Bangladesh bounced back to restore parity after conceding an early goal to force the tiebreaker.They were on the cusp of victory when they led 3-2 in the penalty shootout midway through. However, their failure to convert the last two spot kicks turned the tide in favor of India.
The setback marks continuation of Team Nepal’s poor run both in regional and international competitions. Since they lifted the Under-19 SAFF championship for the second time in 2017 ,they have gone trophyless to date.The first time they won the championship was in 2015. This time they had a chance to end the prolonged drought.Apparently, it was never going to be easy, and they faced a daunting challenge to overcome the odds stacked against them. They had to put in their A game and perform consistently from start to end.
Additionally,they needed to play as a solid cohesive unit. Initially they showed promise by getting off to a winning start.They overwhelmed and trounced Sri Lanka 4-0 in the opener.They combined aggression,confidence, determination and effective team work in their comprehensive victory over a relatively weak Sri Lankan outfit. They got the important momentum but had to ride on it against a formidable Indian side in the next game to make a meaningful impact on the match,which they did not. They had to be at their very best and perform consistently throughout ninety minutes of play. They needed to put in a winning performance and one hundred percent collective effort.Given the challenge they faced, there was virtually no room for mediocrity.
However, they messed up the opportunity to deliver the desired result,falling agonizingly short of expectations.They paid a heavy price for the insipid performance. They struggled to find rhythm. tempo and chemistry for the most part of the game. They looked a pale shadow of their former,offensively, defensively and in midfield as they were outplayed by the opposition. The 4-0 drubbing the hosts inflicted upon the visitors was unexpected and took everyone by complete surprise. Team Nepal roster awash with talented players was expected to give the home team a run for their money. Despite defeat they advanced to the last four and faced Bangladesh for a place in the final.More importantly,they had another chance to rebound and redeem themselves .
They did put up an improved performance but sloppy defense and the offensive inability to capitalize on goal scoring opportunities contributed to their downfall eventually.Although they managed to score a late consolation goal,there was no time for them to make a dramatic fight back The lack of adequate preparation and effective coaching was obvious in the 2-1 defeat. It is the fundamental responsibility of the All Nepal Football Association(ANFA) to prepare the team for international tournaments in a timely and adequate manner.
In fact, they have consistently failed to prioritize and have rarely taken preparations seriously for the most part. This speaks volumes of their negligence and lack of accountability. Consequently, the dereliction of duty on their part has largely contributed to teams' inability to make any meaningful impact on the international arena. To add, it is imperative to appoint a strong and capable coaching staff who can make a positive impact in team building, performance and cohesiveness.
The coach has to be straightforward, persuasive and assertive when making demands to the football body regarding teams proper preparation for tournaments.It is all about meticulously planning and training with all required logistics. As long as ANFA ignores the magnitude of proper training,teams will continue to struggle and dish out subpar performances.
By Sushil Thapa, Fairfax,VA, USA
