KATHMANDU, Oct 8: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has announced 14-member national futsal squad for the upcoming AFC Futsal Championship 2018 Qualification Tournament to be held in Iran from October 15-17. 

Nepal, which is taking part in am official futsal competition for the first time will face Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in Group A of the South and Central zone qualification tournament. 

Head coach of the national futsal team has called two goalkeepers, three defenders, five midfielders and four forwards in the squad.  

The final squad consists of goalkeepers Anish Shrestha and Sumit Kumar while defender Saurabh Rakhal Magar, Raj Shahi and Amit Tamang also have made into the final cut. 

Likewise the squad also includes midfielders Aruj Singh, Nabin Lama, Binod Gurung, Mani Kumar Rana and Abhay Rana. Forwards Susaan Shrestha, Sanjog Maharjan, Nirmal Gurung and Suraj Raut are remaining members of the squad. 

The national team is dominated by the Shankhanmul Futsal players as four out of 14 players are from national futsal league champion. Likewise, Samakhushi Futsal has three representatives in the team while two players are from league runner-up Kick-Off Futsal.   

One player each is from Dhuku Futsal, Futsal Arena, Harisiddhi Futsal, Chaur Recreational Center and Busy Futsal respectively.  

The final squad was selected from a pool of 27-member preliminary squad selected on the basis of their performances during the National Futsal League held in Kathmandu from August 25 to September 10. 

Nepal will begin its qualification campaign taking on Uzbekistan on October 15 at Pour Sharifi Futsal Hall, Tabriz. Nepal will then face Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan on October 16 and 17 respectively at the same venue.    

Top two teams from the group will join other 14 Asian sides including Chinese Taipei in the Championship to be held next year.
 
A total of 29 Asian nations are taking part in the qualification of the championship which are divided into two each group of the ASEAN, South and Central, West and East Zones. 
Four nations each from ASEAN, South and Central and West Zones will qualify to the Championship while three sides from East Zone will secure their berths for the competition. Chinese Taipei will book its place in the Championship as the host.  

Full Squad: 
Goalkeepers: Anish Shrestha and Sumit Kumar Ale
Defenders: Saurabh Rakhal Magar, Raj Shahi and Amit Tamang
Midfielders: Aruj Singh, Nabin Lama, Binod Gurung, Mani Kumar Rana and Abhay Rana 
Forwards: Susaan Shrestha, Sanjog Maharjan, Nirmal Gurung and Suraj Raut

 
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