Nepal-India Women’s Football Match Halted Due to Tension at Dasharath Stadium
In the second half, Nepal's Rekha Poudel received a second yellow card and was sent off the field.
Kathmandu: The SAFF Women's Championship semi-final match between Nepal and India at Dasharath Stadium sees tension rise, leading to a temporary halt in play.
Nepal applied significant pressure on the Indian players from the first half. In the second half, Nepal's Rekha Poudel received a second yellow card and was sent off the field. Following her exit, some frustrated spectators began throwing water bottles onto the pitch. Around 16,000 fans are watching the intense match from the stands.
This incident caused a 15-minute interruption in play. With Nepal down to 10 players, the Indian team managed to score shortly after.
However, just a minute later, Nepal responded with a goal, which sparked further controversy as the referee disallowed it. Nepal’s equalising goal came quickly after the restart from India's celebrations, but the Bhutanese referee ruled it invalid, which intensified tensions in the stadium and ultimately brought the game to a standstill.
Adding to Nepal’s frustrations, earlier in the first half, Nepalese player Sabitra Bhandari, known as "Samba," challenged the Indian goal, but a possible handball by an Indian defender was overlooked by the referee.
The game remains paused as officials work to manage the situation and restore order.