Nepal goes down fighting PURUSHOTTAM/HIMESH KARACHI, PAKISTAN, Dec 9 - Mehtab Hossain scored an early brace as Nepal began the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship on a somber note going down 2-1 to India today at the People's Stadium. In the action-packed match dominated by Nepal, Basanta Thapa scored a goal but that was not sufficient to beat India in the match in which captain Bhaichung Butia also missed a penalty in the later part of the match. Nepal had a forgettable start as the Indians created some attacking moves and were rewarded by a goal following Tashi Tschering's blunder at the wing. Playing at the unusual right back position, Tschering left Mehtab unmarked and the latter did the rest putting the Indians 1-0 up. Nepal started playing with control thereafter as Basanta Thapa created a beautiful chance with some brilliant moves. Thapa, who was called from Japan to play the tournament, found the cross bar when he unleashed a powerful rightfooter from the edge of the box in the 16th minute. Indian skipper Bhaichung also connected a fierce drive but goalkeeper Bikash Malla – earning his first senior international cap – made a brilliant save in the 19th minute. India made it 2-0 in the 27th minute and once again the scorer was Hossain. Unmarked Hossain received a pass from Sukumar Singh, after Bhutia sold a dummy leaving the ball for Hossain, inside the penalty box and coolly guided it past goalie Malla. "Inexperience on the part of the players cost us the match," Nepali coach Toshihiko Shijozwa said at the post match press conference. "We played horrible football in the beginning but boys were smooth in the later part of the match," he added. Basanta pulled one back for Nepal in the 36th minute. The headed-goal was the 26-year-old's sixth in national colors. Basanta, after supplying to Surendra took position as Surendra's drive deflected back from Indian goalie Sandeep Nandi to find him raising Nepal's hope of walking away with at least a point from the match. Nepal pressed hard to find an equalizer throughout but the players faltered at the front. There were no significant contribution from the youngsters but the experienced players played their best. Surendra Tamang was denied by goalie Nanda in the 53rd minute in one of the best chances Nepal created in the second half. "Nepali team was very good and balanced but we won all the possible three points from the match. So, I am satisfied with our performance," Indian coach Syed Nijamujddin, whose team entertains Bhutan on Saturday, said. India got a chance to put the match beyond Nepal when Iranian referee dubiously awarded it a penalty in the 88th minute but captain Bhutia shot it wide. "I don't know why he awarded penalty but I guess it was a handball," coach Shjozwa said. Earlier, defending champion Bangladesh thrashed Bhutan 3-0 to lead the Group 'A'. Ariful Kabir scored a brace and Zahid Hasan added one for Bangladesh which faces Nepal on Saturday under the lights. Nepal will be without the services of defender Janak Singh as he limped off the ground in the 10th minute after colliding with Butia to be replaced Lok Bandhu Gurung http://www.kantipuronline.com/sports.php?&nid=59397