Sabah FA, a club from Malaysia is tied with APF FC, a club from Nepal scoring 0-0 in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2024/25 Preliminary Stage Group C at Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu.
APF FC, from Nepal, dominated the early stages of the match, putting heavy pressure on the hosts. APF came close to scoring in the 11th minute when Preeti Rai’s powerful shot struck the crossbar, and Nurul Azurin made a crucial save to deny Amisha Karki on the follow-up.
APF had another opportunity in the 22nd minute when Amisha Karki found herself with space in Sabah’s box, but she sent her shot over the bar. Despite APF’s dominance, Sabah managed to create a chance before halftime with Steffi Sarge’s header from a corner kick going just wide. Nurul Azurin made another vital save just before the break, keeping the score level by denying Amisha once again.
Both teams made substitutions at the start of the second half, with Sabah’s Justin Ganai bringing on Azzlyeanieh Kinuli for Uzliza Usman, and APF’s Rajendra Tamang replacing Sabita Rana with Anita Basnet. As the heavy rain subsided, the game became more balanced, though both teams struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.
APF nearly found the winning goal in the 75th minute when Amisha Karki’s shot from a corner kick bounced off the post. Despite taking more risks in search of a winner, neither side could break the deadlock, and the match ended in a stalemate.
The result keeps Sabah FA’s hopes alive as they prepare for their next match against Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf. APF FC, with one point from two matches, exits the competition.
The result means that Sabah will go into Saturday’s clash with Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf still with a chance of reaching the group stage while APF exit the competition with one point from two matches.
Credit Photo : FAM
