KATHMANDU, Oct 12: The ANFA on Wednesday announced the 23-member Nepali football team for the match against Laos under the first phase of the FIFA World Cup-2026.

Nepali national football team's Head Coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese announced the 23-member team including new players Amrit Shrestha and Sanjeev Bista.

Stating that match against Laos was an opportunity for him, Head Coach Annese believed that that the participation of the new and energetic youths in the team will deliver well in the tournament.

Himalayan Sherpa Club's defender Amrit Shrestha and New Road team's forward Sanjeev Bishta were inducted in the national team for the first time.

Nepal's first game under the World Cup Qualifier is with Laos and the match is taking place in Dasarath Stadium at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu at 5:30 pm.

Nepal will play the second match against Laos in the qualifying match on the basis of 'Home and Away'. The winning team of this match wills qualify for the second round of the World Cup Qualifier.

National football team captain's Kiran Chemjong said that they were well prepared to play the match against Laos. The national team includes Kiran Kumar Limbu, Deep Karki and Abhisekh Baral as a goalkeeper and Sanish Shrestha, Ananta Tamang, Ashish Gurung, Rohit Chand, Anjan Rai, Ashish Chaudhary and Amrit Shrestha as defenders.

Arik Bista, Sudeep Gurung, Awash Lamichhane, Utsav Rai, Kritish Ratna Chunju and Manish Dangi are mid-fielders while Anjan Bista, Ayush Ghalan, Gillespye Jung Karki, Dinesh Henjan, Hisub Thapaliya and Sanjiv Bista are forward.

(RSS)

 
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