Favorites Bahrain lived up to their billing as they overwhelmed underperforming Nepal 5-0 in the first leg of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Bahrain.

The Middle Eastern outfit controlled the proceedings from start to finish.They dominated every aspect of the game and stamped their authority on the match.

They rightly punished the opponent for their sluggish,sloppy and lackluster performance.

They barely had to break a sweat on their way to an unexpected easy victory. In other words it was a cakewalk for them.

They made the most of their physical, technical and tactical advantages. Apart from that,they combined pace, physical strength,well coordinated offensive play and compact defense todominate the opposition.

In retrospect,Nepal’s performance was flat and mediocre at best.This has to be one of their worst performances in recent years.

Contrary to expectations,they completely lacked competitive fire and pushed themselves into submission.

They could not develop any semblance of offensive tempo throughout the ninety plus minutes of action.

Given the subpar performance, Nepal was at the receiving end for the most part of the game and unbelievably failed to launch a single threatening attack.

What we witnessed was a disjointed and misfiring team lacking a sense of urgency, purpose, aggression, confidence, coordination and determination.

Both the offense and midfield looked a pale shadow of their former.They were inconsistent and ineffective in the entire game.

There was virtually no cohesion between them, and they constantly lost possession of the ball.

As a result,their offensive contribution was agonizingly limited.

The defensive unit was kept on their toes as they came under fierce assault and literally caved in.

They showed cracks and struggled to keep the opponent’s pacey and organized offense atbay.

Apparently, the team’s pathetic and demoralizing performance triggered angry outburst, disappointment and frustration in fans who had looked forward to a fighting performance .

Going into the second leg,undoubtedly Team Nepal faces an acid test.

The big question is whether they can avoid another embarrassing defeat. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they perform much better.

Despite everything,they have to hold their heads high, stay positive,remain focussed, confident and believe in themselves.

They will need to rejuvenate themselves and churn out a vastly improved performance in order to bounce back and make amends for the poor result.

Furthermore,they will require a tremendous collective effort,commitment and resoluteness to defy the odds. It is imperative that they peak their form and give it everything.

One thing is for sure- they cannot afford any more slip-ups and another listless performance.This is another match, another chance for them to redeem themselves.

Certainly it is a high stake match for winless Nepal who have lost three successive matches .Although they will have two matches to play, following Tuesday’s clash against Bahrain,another defeat would eliminate them from the qualifiers.

-By Sushil Thapa,Fairfax,VA