Late penalty heartbreak for 10-man Bangladesh as Nepal reach SAFF Championship final

Nepal have booked a place in the SAFF Championship final after converting a controversial penalty against 10-man Bangladesh to clinch a 1-1 draw in their final game of the round-robin stage.

A ninth-minute header from Sumon Reza put Bangladesh ahead at the Maldives National Football Stadium on Wednesday.

Nepal enjoyed the lion's share of possession but Bangladesh cracked more shots on target throughout the game.

As Nepal pressed forward in the final 15 minutes of the game, Bangladesh’s goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico was sent off in the 79th minute, a blow Óscar Bruzón’s men never recovered from in their must-win encounter.

The men in red and green’s hopes of reaching SAFF Championship final after 16 years were shattered by Anjan Bista as he calmly slotted home from the spot in the 88th minute.

The draw left Bangladesh with 5 points in the pool, while Nepal rose to 7 points. India (5) and hosts Maldives (6) will square off to face Nepal in Oct 16’s final.