Kathmandu, Oct. 10 -- match conference before facing Vietnam on Thursday, Nepal's head coach Matt Ross appeared confident. He believed that his team could win, and if not, at least secure a point. But Ross's confidence turned out to be misjudged as Nepal suffered a 1-3 loss against the Southeast Asian side.

Vietnam had a loud home crowd at Go Dau Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City as they faced Nepal after over two decades. Nepal had lost 0-5 and 0-2 during the 2003 Asian Cup Qualifiers in the last two encounters.

Forgetting the past, Nepal were aiming for a turnaround after 23 years. But that was not to be.

Nguyen Tien Linh gave Vietnam the lead in the 10th minute, offering thousands of home fans a good moment to cheer. According to official...