Nepal coach Koji Gyotuku. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Losing a player early in the match against the Philippines truly threw Nepal off of its game.
Nepal lost midfielder Bikram Lama in the 12th minute due to a handball at the penalty box, leaving coach Koji Gyutoku with just 10 men for the rest of the match.
“I had to change our plans and it was difficult for us to do it during the game, especially on our right side,” said Gyutoku Tuesday after Nepal’s 4-1 loss to the Azkals to open the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
READ: Azkals drub 10-man Nepal to open Asian Cup qualifiers
With Nepal playing undermanned, the Philippines pounced on the opportunity and quickly racked three straight goals before Bishal Rai got one for the visitors just before the halftime break.
Though the Nepalese showed a better fight in the second half, they still couldn’t stop Javier Patino from adding to the goal difference for the home team.
“To lose with that score, it’s disheartening. We tried to score in the second half, but 4-1 is no good for us,” said the Japanese mentor.
Despite the big loss, Gyotuku did see some positives with his squad moving forward, especially midfielder Rohit Chand.
“He’s a small guy and he could play well. I used him as one of my first 11 and I hope he’ll perform better in our next matches,” he said.
Nepal plays Yemen on June 13 in Qatar.