Changes in starting line-up
According to Nepal´s English coach Graham Roberts, Ganesh Lawati will be the main striker in the starting line-up replacing Anil Gurung, who sustained ankle injury during the first match against Afghanistan on Thursday. Armed Police Force personnel Lawati had made his national team debut against Bhutan in Pokhara in the recently concluded friendly series.
Likewise, Bikash Singh Chhetri will replace Rohit Chand on the defense line-up as latter picked up a heel injury on Thursday.
Meanwhile, midfielder Bhola Silwal is in the starting line-up, which includes Chhetri, Captain Sagar Thapa, Sandeep Rai, Biraj Maharjan and Robin Shrestha in the defense. Silwal, Raju Tamang, Nirajan Khadka and Bharat Khawas will complete the Nepali midfield. Kiran Chemjong retains his duty under the woodwork.
"Anil and Rohit are not 100 percent fit for tomorrow (Saturday) and with three points already in our kitty, I can´t take risk. I need them on Monday against Sri Lanka," said Roberts.
High hopes
DPR Korea, who claimed to have only three players from their FIFA World Cup 2010 squad during a press conference on Wednesday, fielded seven players from the World Cup squad against Sri Lanka on Thursday. They are certain to field their full strength team against hosts Nepal on Saturday.
However Coach Roberts said that his boys will approach the match as any other match.
"We have nothing to lose against North Korea," said Roberts. "I have been planning for this game for the last six weeks and hope my tactics will work tomorrow (Saturday)," he added.
Roberts claimed his team will go for a win against the DPR Korea. "Players want to win every game and we´ll go for the win. I´m not worried about other teams since I know my strength. However, I´m analyzing opponents and building a strategy to nullify their strength," said Roberts.
The coach reiterated that the crowd could work as the 12th player for Nepal. "There was a fantastic crowd on Thursday. They were cheering for every ball movements and I want more crowds on Saturday," said Roberts.
History
Nepal and DPR Korea had met twice in the past and the Koreans had won the matches on both occasions. Nepal had first met the North Koreans in 1988 during the Ninth Asian Cup qualifiers in Kathmandu, where the home team had lost the match 1-0.
The latest meeting between the two sides was in Hyderabad, India in 2008 during the AFC Challenge Cup final round and the result was same as in 1988.
Sagar Thapa and Bhola Silwal were in the Nepali team that gave tough challenge to the Koreans in Hyderabad.
"We are watching DVD´s of their (North Korea) matches and building strategies against them. I hope my tactics will work," said Roberts.
Starting XI for Nepal
Goalkeeper: Kiran Chemjong
Defenders: Sagar Thapa (C), Bikash Singh Chhetri , Sandeep Rai, Rabin Shrestha, Biraj Maharjan
Midfielders: Raju Tamang, Bhola Silwal, Nirajan Khadka, Bharat Khawas
Forward: Ganesh Lawati
Related story
Sri Lanka hammer Australia in record 174-run rout
