They fought hard to win the showcase event of the eighth SAF Games -- the football final -- by a lone goal, leaving behind several wet eyes in the stadium.

It was Bangladesh's first win in six appearances in the final. Earlier, India took bronze defeating Maldives 3-1.

Nepal failed to breach the Bangladesh wall, after conceding the crucial goal at the stroke of half-time. In fact, the goal brought the match alive after some slow, scrappy display. The goal followed a flag kick which Bangladesh earned in a counter-attack. Monwaer Hussain got past two defenders and passed it to Iqbal Hussain inside the box. Hussain's try was warded off by the goalkeeper Binod Kharel but Alfaz Ahmed pounced on the reboundand shot it to the left of Kharel.

Bangladesh goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee had another outstanding game and warded off two good headers by Dev Narain Chaudhari in the first session and made several diving saves in the second when Nepal went on the rampage.

Nepal jelled better in the second session and attacked in waves during the last 10 minutes but Bangladesh defenders did not let go.

They bottled up dangermen Naresh Joshi and Hari Khadka with captain Jewel Rana and Abu Faisal Ahmed as solid as ever. As Nepal forced corner after corner in the dying minutes, Bangladesh coach Samir Shakeer must have had his heart in the mouth. But his boys did not let him down. Nepal were unlucky not to get the equaliser when Hari Khadka reacted well to meet a cross from the left, but his shot hit the upright and bounced close to the goal-line.

The match got rough in the later stages with the crowd getting restless. In fact, the match was held up for a few minutes as linesman Wong Yiu Chung was pelted with missilesat the eastern end. However, police rushed in control the unruly fans.

BRONZE FOR INDIA: In the earlier match, Maldives stunned India with an eight-minute goal scored by Mausoom Abdulghafoor. However, IM VIjayan got the equaliser soon with a fine header off a free kick by captain Jo Paul Ancheri.

India struck two goals in last seven minutes to settle the issue. First, Sabir Pasha, who came in for Najib in the 74th minute, struck with a stinging left-footer. Then, substitute Raman Vijayan made it 3-1 after Hardeep Sangha beat three defenders to send in a neat cross inside the box.

Vijayan emerged the highest scorer with seven goals, followed by Nepal's Hari Khadka with four.