Sabitra Bhandari scored a stoppage time equalizer as Bangladesh women's football team were held to a 1-1 draw by Nepal in their FIFA friendly fixture at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Thursday.

The Bangladesh captain slotted the ball past Nepal goalkeeper Anjila Tumbabo Subba after being brilliantly threaded through with a forward-pass by substitute Shaheda Akter Ripa in the 65th minute to break the deadlock.

However, Sabina missed a sitter 10 minutes later as she wasted too much time on the ball when through on goal, allowing Subba to make a timely clearance. And the hosts were made to pay as Sabitra, who was the top-scorer in the Indian women's league this year, scored the equalising goal two minutes into stoppage time, poking home from close range with a bit of deflection after the Bangladesh defence failed to clear the danger.

This was the first match for Bangladesh since their memorable SAFF campaign in September last year when Bangladesh had beaten Nepal 3-1 in the final to clinch their maiden SAFF title. That remains the only victory for Bangladesh against the women from the Himalayas, who have beaten the women in red and green six times while drawing on the two other occasions. 

The two teams will meet in the second and final match of the two-match series at the same venue on Sunday.