KATHMANDU, March 15 - Nepal Red saved the blushes for a full-house home crowd, thanks to a 4-2 win in a cliff-hanging tie-breaker against Sri Lanka. In the final of the six-team inaugural Prime Minister Cup Invitational Football Tournament on Saturday, the star-studded Nepali team defeated the Sri Lankan national side in a penalty shootout.

After Sanjay Pradeep Kumara, the last penalty taker of Sri Lanka saw his shot sail above the bar, thousands of jubilant fans charged to the ground and had to be restrained by baton-wielding policemen.

Nepal Red played a dull first half but came alive in the later stages of the game. Despite putting the Sri Lankan national side under tremendous pressure, they failed to find the winning goal in normal time as well as in extra time.

In the shootout, Anil Gurung, Sandip Rai, Raju Tamang and Biraj Maharjan found the target for Nepal while Sanjay Pradeep Kumara and E.B. Chanua missed for Sri Lanka after skipper Chathurn Maduranaga and Kasun Jayasoorya had converted their shots.