ANFA rewards Solidarity Cup-winning team

Published On: September 27, 2017 07:30 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

Coaches and players of AFC Solidarity Cup-winning national football team pose for a group photo after being rewarded by All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) in Lalitpur, on Tuesday.

KATHMADNU, Sept 27: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has rewarded the national football team’s members with Rs 300,000 each, Tuesday, for winning the AFC Solidarity Cup last year.

Nepal had won the Solidarity Cup by defeating Macau 1-0 in the final in Malaysia last year, which was its first ever football title at the Asian level organized by Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
ANFA had earlier announced to reward to the 28-member Nepali team including 23 players, three coaches, a team manager and a physiotherapist with cash prize.

ANFA’s President Narendra Shrestha handed the checks to the members of the winning team at an event organized at ANFA House, Satdobato, Lalitpur.

Nepal had won the tournament under head coach Gyotoku Koji, and coaches Raju Kaji Shakya and Ujjwal Manandhar. Birat Jung Shahi was the team manager while Suraj Bhushal was the team’s physiotherapist.

The team contesting the Solidarity Cup included goalkeepers Bikesh Kuthu, Bishal Shrestha and Kiran Kumar Limbu, defenders Rabin Shrestha, Biraj Maharjan, Ananta Tamang, Deepak Gurung, Aditya Chaudhary, Kamal Shrestha, Devendra Tamang and Ranjit Dhimal.

Likewise, midfielders Bishal Rai, Heman Gurung, Bikram Lama, Anjan Bista, Sujal Shrestha and Rajendra Rawal, and forwards Bharat Khawas, Nawayug Shrestha, Suman Lama, Anil Gurung, Ranjan Bista and Bimal Gharti Magar were other members of the winning team. Earlier, the government of Nepal had also felicitated the Nepali team with cash prize for winning the Solidarity Cup.

The government had then given cash awards of Rs 300,000 each to the 23 players and head coach Gyotoku Koji. Assistant coach Raju Kaji Shakya was rewarded with Rs 200,000 whereas goalkeeping coach Ujjwal Manandhar and physiotherapist Suraj Bhusal were given Rs 50,000 each.

On Tuesday’s award ceremony, ANFA also rewarded the SAFF U-15 Championship runner-up youth team with Rs 25,000 each. Nepal had faced 2-1 defeat at the hands of India in the age-group tournament’s final at ANFA Complex last month.

The felicitated members of the team are head coach Sunil Kumar Shrestha, technical director Takeda Chiaki, goalkeeping coach Bikash Malla, team manager Rabindra Joshi, physiotherapist Raju Dahal alongside 23 players.