Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Substitute Sukriya Miya scored a late winner to give Nepal a narrow 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifier in Thimphu on Friday.
With this win, Nepal now has 4 points from two matches. Nepal played a 1-1 against Bhutan in its opening game.
This marks Saudi Arabia’s second defeat in the tournament, following a heavy 0-15 loss to North Korea.
Nepal missed a chance to take the lead in the first half when Meena Deuba failed to convert a penalty in the 37th minute. The penalty was awarded after a Saudi defender fouled Manisha Sen inside the box.
Earlier in the 18th minute, Sarita Nath’s free-kick struck the woodwork. Although Anisha Rai hit the rebound toward the post, the Saudi goalkeeper was able to collect the rebound easily.
Both teams struggled to create clear scoring opportunities until Nepal secured the win in the final minute. Meena gained possession after a Saudi defender failed to clear Anisha Rai’s long free-kick. She then played a beautiful pass to Surkiya, who was unmarked. Sukriya calmly slid the ball low into the near post to seal the victory.
