Nepal repeated history and win the gold medal in the 12th South Asian Games men’s football defeating India after 23 years. Attacking midfielder Prakash Budhathoki, lethal striker Nawayug Shrestha and brilliant custodian Bikesh Kuthu led Nepal to propel to the triumph over the hosts India in their own backyard.
Nepal had made it to the finals defeating Maldives 4-3 in sensational semifinal match on Saturday. Nawayug Shrestha had scored hat-trick, his second in the tournament, to rescue 10-man Nepal that were lagging 2-3 in the extra-time then. He had scored two goals in the dying moments of the crucial fixture. The programme got going with the arrival of the day’s dignitaries and the chief guest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was welcomed with the sounding of bugles and a pleasing ovation. The entry of the teams led by the Games mascot, Tikhor, and starting with Afghanistan and followed by Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka was also greeted with warm applause which reached a crescendo as the Indian contingent marched in. The team, with the women athletes smartly attired in turquoise blue sarees and the men in grey and blue, was led by squash ace Saurav Ghosal.
