Police have made it to the knockout stage (quarterfinal) in the 16-team contest as the winner of group C while APF has booked place as the runners up of group D. [break]
Police were the league champion and APF were the relegation battlers in the last league. However, the scene has largely changed in the last six months. The APF has totally restructured their team following their painful season. They have signed more than a dozen new players.
They also enrolled emerging youth players like Nirajan Khadka, Noor Raj Kafle and they still have experienced player like skipper Ganesh Lawati. APF also got Dilkaji Gurung as their new coach.
On the other hand, Police retains the same squad which had played in the last league. But they will be having problema in the striking line up without their regular forward Chetan Ghimire, who has been sidelined from the beginning of this tournament due to knee injury. Jumanu Rai has not yet regained his previous form. Veteran coach Birat Krishan Shrestha has left Police and former captain Hari Khadka, who is new for a coaching duty, replaces him.
The last time, the two departmental teams met was during the final of KBRU Memorial Football Tournament held at Biratchowk in Morang. On that occasion, rejuvenated APF defeated Police 1-0 to claim the title.
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