Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal defeated Laos 2-0 in its first match of the Prime Minister Three Nations Cup 2023 at the Dasharath Stadium on Wednesday.
Defender Ananta Tamang and striker Nawayug Shrestha scored for the hosts to ensure that Head Coach Vincenzo Alberto Annesse begins his stint with the national side with a victory. Annesse took the reins of the national team in the first week of March.
Ananta scored with a header in the 30th minute utilizing Nabin Lama’s corner. Nawayug doubled Nepal’s lead in 56th minute with a suberb volley from 35 yards. This is his eighth goal in the national colors.
This is Nepal’s second victory in three matches against Laos.
The match marked debuts for four Nepali young players – Sanish Srestha, Mani Kumar Lama, Dipakraj Singh Thakuri and Sumit Shrestha – thanks to their excellent performance in the ongoing ‘A’ Division League.
Nepal will play its next match against Bhutan on Tuesday, while Laos will take on Bhutan on Saturday. The final will be held on next Friday.
