MALE, Maldives, Mar 25 (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nepal in their SAFF Under-20 Championship 2026 match played at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, despite entering the game with high confidence after a morale-boosting win.
Nepal’s Subash Bam scored the only goal of the match in the first half, capitalising on a key opportunity to put his side ahead.
Sri Lanka fought hard to find an equaliser and created a few promising chances, including several free kicks in dangerous positions. However, they failed to convert those opportunities as Nepal’s defence held firm.
The Lankan side came into the match on a high after recording a historic 3-2 victory over hosts Maldives — their first win against the island nation in 24 years — but could not maintain the same finishing touch in front of goal.
Despite the defeat, Sri Lanka remain at the top of Group A standings, ahead of Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan. In Group B, Bangladesh lead the table, followed by India and Pakistan.
Sri Lanka will now look to regroup quickly as the tournament progresses, with their chances of advancing still firmly within reach.
