Winners already

Even before the final today, the women’s football team has won the hearts of Nepali fans.

No matter what happens in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women’s championship at the Dashrath Rangasala today, Nepali football has already won. The script could have gone badly wrong last Sunday, when Nepal faced India in a heated semi-final. Tempers flared, and Nepali players at one point appeared ready to forfeit the match, the consequences be damned. But better sense prevailed, they took to the field again, and then went on to register one of the most memorable victories in the annals of Nepali sports. What was impressive was not just the spectacular victory of our women’s national team against India, the five-time champions, 4-2 on penalties, but also their manifest sportsmanship despite being at the end of some very iffy refereeing decisions.