What matters more: winning or learning?

What if that last-minute goal hadn’t happened? This question will likely stay on everyone’s mind for a while.

It was already clear that Nepal and host nation Bangladesh would face each other in the final match of the SAFF U-20 Championship. And now it’s official after the group stage ended in a draw—exactly as expected.

The tournament, played in a double round-robin format between four teams, is now at its final stage. On Monday, the last day of the tournament, Bhutan and Sri Lanka will play first at Ground-2 of Bashundhara Kings Arena. That match is just for formality. The real decider comes next: Bangladesh vs Nepal, which will determine the champion.

Looking at the points, Bangladesh currently has 15, and Nepal has 12. A draw is enough for Bangladesh to win the title. Nepal, however, must win to become champions. And all of this is due to one last-minute goal.

Nepal had already played Bangladesh earlier in the tournament. In that match, Bangladesh scored two early goals, but Nepal made a strong comeback with two of their own. The game seemed set to end 2–2. But in the 7th minute of added time, Bangladesh’s Srimoti Trishna Rani scored a third goal. Right after that, the game ended and Nepal’s players were left shocked and heartbroken on the field.

Even though the loss was painful, the match gave Nepal’s players valuable experience. According to coach Yam Gurung, such matches help prepare players mentally for bigger challenges. He said, “We will correct our mistakes and enter the final game stronger.”

Though Bangladesh has more points, Nepal has a better goal difference. Nepal has scored 30 goals and conceded just 4. Bangladesh has also conceded 4, but only scored 24. This slight difference could become important if Nepal wins the final match.

Bangladesh’s coach, Peter Butler, who also coaches their senior national team, says he’s not focused on winning the title. Instead, he wants the tournament to help develop young players for the future of the national team.

Nepal’s coach hasn’t said much about long-term goals but seems motivated to win the trophy now. In youth football, it’s often debated whether winning or gaining experience is more important. In this unofficial “final,” the two teams also represent these two different mindsets.

Many of Nepal’s current national team players are expected to retire soon. There’s concern about who will replace them. Thankfully, some players from this U-20 squad have shown real promise. No matter the result of the final match, that alone gives hope for the future of Nepali football.