The silver medalist team of the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) is leaving for Bangladesh on December 9 after the final selection of the team with its sights set firmly on gold.[break]
“We are leaving for Bangladesh with the aim of securing first position,” said Nepal´s coach Dhruba KC who has been giving training to the team at the Domalala Stadium at Birtabazar, Jhapa for the past three weeks.
“We are eager to brush aside the defeat suffered in the last edition of the SAG,” coach KC who was in charge of the team during the SAG as well, said. Nepali women were defeated by India in the final of women´s football in Dhaka, Bangladesh nearly a year ago.
KC who claims Nepal are a South Asian powerhouse in women´s football shared that it was also an opportunity for the team to prove that they were the strongest team of the region.
The team had arrived in Jhapa for training soon after the Tihar festival. “The training in Jhapa has been really fruitful for the squad as there are lots of similarities between the climate of Jhapa and Cox Bazar, where the event is scheduled to be held,” KC said, adding that the training wouldn´t have gone as smoothly had it been held in the capital as the Dasharath Stadium is busy all year round.
Altogether 25 women footballers have been undergoing training twice a day--three hours each in the morning and evening. Kumar Katuwal is the assistant coach of the team. Seven players will be omitted from the final selection and an 18-member squad comprising two goalkeepers will be formed for the tournament.
According to team manager Saraswati Pradhan, the training at the Domalal Stadium has been easy because of ample support from the Jhapa District Football Association.
Coach KC dubbed his forward lineup as the strongest weapon of his side. “Our forwards are capable of utilizing the slightest of opportunities and they had a crucial role in taking the team to the final in the last SAG.” However, KC laments the team´s weak defending line-up.
In the 11th SAG, Nepal had thrashed Sri Lanka 8-0, beat Pakistan and Bangladesh 1-0 each, and played a 1-1 draw with India in the league round. However, they were defeated 3-1 by India in a controversial final. Jamuna Gurung, who was the skipper of Nepal on the occasion, is in the same role this time too. She had scored a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the SAG.
Skipper Gurung opined that it was better for the team to prepare in Jhapa than in Kathmandu as they would have faced several obstructions had they prepared in Kathmandu.
Coach KC is confident that Nepal´s performance will not be weaker than that in previous tournament as some more players with good goal-scoring abilities have been added. He, however, lamented the short time for preparation.
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