KATHMANDU, Aug 19: Host Nepal will take on Bhutan in the opening match of the SAFF U-19 Championship that begins on Thursday on the artificial turf of ANFA Complex, Satdobato, Lalitpur.
The first edition of SAFF features six teams including Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh in Group A while Group B consists of Afghanistan, Maldives and the South Asian powerhouse, India.
The Nepalese team that has been training together for more than four years has not underestimated Bhutan.
"We are always one of the title contenders at the U-16 and U-19 level in South Asia. Thus we will try to advance into the knockout round as the group winner," Nepal's coach Bal Gopal Maharjan said at the pre-match conference.
The training of the home team which started some four months earlier targeting the tournament was hampered for nearly a month due to April 25 earthquake.
Minnow Bhutan, which has produced sensational results in the international football of late, is highly motivated by the achievements of the senior national team and has promised to put up a tough fight against the home team.
"The team is highly motivated by the outcome of the national team at the international stage. We have been training since the last four months for the tournament and we are all prepared," Bhutan's coach Nawang Dhendup said.
Indicating that Bhutan is no longer a minnow, he said, "All participants are here to achieve the same goal. However, I don't have any idea about Nepali team since I have not seen them play," he said.
Bhutan's skipper Choki Wanchuk, who played against the Nepali side two years ago during the SAFF U-16 Championship, said that his side was comfortable to play against the home team.
Maharjan however, was cautious not to underrate Bhutan. "I don't think Bhutan is a weak side. Bhutan has also made sound preparation for the event. However, we will play for a win," he said.
Maharjan's 23-member squad consists of 15 players from the Nepal's U-16 team that featured in the 2013 SAFF and AFC U-16 Championship.
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Logarwal Hayatullah (Afghanistan): We had a four-month preparation for the tournament. We wish to start and continue the match on a positive note. Although we do not have senior (national) players, one member of the squad plays football in America.
Saifal Bare Titu (Bangladesh): We started training for the tournament some one and half month earlier. However, we could not have sound training because all the players were not available in the training since the beginning. Still, I don't think there is a bigger gap between the participating teams in the tournament. Some people say group A is an easy group, but I don't believe that. We have respect for all the teams.
Mohammad Yousuf (India goalkeeper coach): We have two U-19 teams and the other is in Malaysia tour. There is no difference between the other team and the team in Nepal. Both are balanced team with mixed player. We hope the tournament will be competitive and provide good opportunity to young players. Our expectation is to secured top finish.
Athif Mohamed (Malvides): We have been preparing for the tournament since March. The team is picked from school and some junior players from the club. The group we are pitted in is 'Group of Death.' However, we expect to play in the final. I think all the matches will be competitive.
