By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 11: Anjan Bista starred for Nepal after his team thrashed Chinese Taipei 2-0 in an away game in the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 second round qualifiers played at Municipal Stadium in the capital on Tuesday.

Bista marked his comeback with a bang as his double helped Nepal register a first historical win in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers. Attacking midfielder Bista scored his individual two goals for national team for the first time.

Bista made national team debut in 2014 against the Philippines in a friendly at Doha, Qatar in 31st October as he substituted defender Sandeep Rai in the 61st minute.
This is also a first official victory of Coach Johan Kalin after taking charge of the national football team. Kalin arrived Kathmandu in last March. The victory over 125th ranked Chinese Taipei helped Kalin brush aside the loss against Kuwait.

Bista put Nepal ahead in the 4th minutes through a header off the free kick off Sujal Shrestha. Nepal earned free kick after Chinese Taipei player fouled Ravi Paswan near the 25-yard.
The in-form Bista sealed the match for home in the 62nd minutes. He scored stunning goal from inside a box connecting the head pass of Sujal Shrestha.
Coach Kalin dropped Bista against Kuwait while Nepal suffered 7-0 defeated played at Kuwait, City on last Thursday.

The higher ranked Chinese Taipei also made a couple of chances against the visitor Nepal but all their effort went in the vain. Their golden opportunities to equal score went in vain in the 22nd minutes as Nepali skipper and goalie Kiran Chemjong made a brilliant saved.

Nepali goalie Chemjong yet again denied Chinese Taipei in the 41st minutes as he blocked the powerful strike of Taipei player.
Chinese Taipei came back in the second half with more attacks and they tried to break Nepali defense but they failed to break Nepal’s wall in the match. Nepali defenders rectified their errors they made against Kuwait as Taipei attackers could not penetrate the defense wall.

This is a second defeate in a row for Chinese Taipei. They suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Jordan in their away match on September 5.

Nepal national team head coach Johan Kalin came with new plan against Chinese Taipei. Coach Kalin made three new changes in the team against Chinese Taipei.

Nepal and Chinese Taipei played 1-1 draw in their last encounter in an international friendly in a two months ago in their recent encounter.

Nepal suffered 7-0 defeat from Kuwait in their first match of the FIFA World Cup round 2 Asian Qualifiers match against Kuwait on last Thursday.

Nepal has been drawn into the tough group ‘B’ along Asian football powerhouse Australia, Kuwait, Chinese Taipei and Jordan.

Nepal to travel Canberra, Australia on 10th October and Nepal will encounter Jordan in the in their third away match of the qualifiers in the 15th October.

After winning the big three points, Nepal national team head Coach Johan Kalin said that his team played very well against high ranked Chinese Taipei.
“We entered the ground focusing on victory and we succeeded on it. Moreover, the early goal boosted my boys’ morale to grab vital three points,” Coach Kalin said at the post-match conference.
“Chinese Taipei put huge pressure against Nepal but with brilliant performance of our defenders and goalie Kiran Chemjong, they failed to score,” Coach Kalin added.
After achieving maiden victory in his first coaching stint, Coach Kalin expressed that Anjan proved himself against Chinese Taipei and he would give continuation to the team’s improving performance in the upcoming matches.