Nepal´s head coach Jack Stefenowski and his assistant Richard Orlowski unveiled the squad three days ahead of the AFC Challenge Cup group D qualifiers scheduled to begin Saturday. [break]
Along with host Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine and Northern Mariana Island have been pitted in the group out of which the group champion will secure automatic berth for the finals to be held next year in the Maldives.
The final list includes seven midfielders, seven defenders, six forwards and three goalkeepers.
Deepak Rai and Bishal Rai belong to Machhindra FC while Ojha to league leader Three Star Club Sabindra to Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) and Nawayug to Nepal Army. Deepak Rai and Nawayug have yet to make their debut from the national side while Bishal Rai featured as second-half replacement of Bhola Silwal during the first friendly match against Pakistan played on February 6. Ojha and Sabindra have been in and out of the national squad on several occasions.
Excluding two friendly matches against Pakistan, RCT forward Amar Dangol, Three Star defender Bijay Dhimal and Bikram Lama are the new names in the final squad.
National team coaches with captain Sagar Thapa (Middle). (Photo: Bikash Karki)
Meanwhile, Police forward Chetan Ghimire, who was sidelined after playing the qualifiers of 2009 Challenge Cup at home, also marked his comeback in the national team. Ghimire had picked knee injury in the league held after the Challenge Cup that forced him to remain out of action until recently. Ghimire, however, had played in the first friendly against Pakistan as second-half replacement.
"We have got potential players and we will present ourselves as team in the Challenge Cup Qualifiers," Stefanowski said during the team declaration ceremony. He also revealed that his side will play in 4-3-3 formation. He however did not elaborate.
"We have improved a lot since the Pakistan friendly both as a team and in the skills of individual players. Everyone has worked hard in the training," said Stefanowksi who started the training since January 23.
Among the nine players included in the initial phase of training from MMC, only one made it to the final list. Unlike MMC, seven out of eight players called during the initial stage of training from Three Star have been included in the final list. But it may be worthwhile to mention that Lalit Krishna Shrestha, who the president of Three Star Club and the vice president of ANFA, is the manager of the national team.
Final list of players
Goalkeeper: Kiran Chemjong (Three Star), Ritesh Thapa (Police), Bikesh Kutu (Madhyapur)
Defender: Sagar Thapa (Friends), Bijay Dhimal (Three Star), Biraj Maharjan (Three Star), Jeetendra Karki (Army), Rabin Shrestha (Police), Rohit Chand (PSPS Pekanbaru-Indonesia), Sandip Rai (Three Star)
Midfielder: Bhola Silwal (Police), Bijay Gurung (Three Star), Bikram Lama (Three Star), Jagjeet Shrestha (Friends), Nirajan Khadka (Friends), Rajendra Rawal (APF), Raju Tamang (Army)
Forwards: Amar Dangol (RCT), Bharat Khawas (Army) Anil Gurung (MMC), Chetan Ghimire (Police), Jumanu Rai (Police), Santosh Sahukhala (Three Star)
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