Three Star Club´s President Lalit Krishna Shrestha and All Nepal Football Association President Ganesh Thapa, among others, bade farewell to 33-member team amidst a ceremony in Patan. The team consists of 20 players, two coaches, one manager and physiotherapist each, and officials. Of the total players, eight are members of the national team that competed in the SAFF Championship held recently. [break]
Three Star is placed in group A along with Erchim FC of Mongolia and Balkan of Turkmenistan in the final. The other group consists of KRL Football Club of Pakistan, Alquds Hilal Club of Palestine and Dordoi of Kyrgyzstan. The winner of each group will compete for the title.
Three Star will take on Erchim in its first match on Monday and Balkan on Wednesday. The final will be held on September 29. The winner and the runner up teams will bag a purse of $ 50,000 and Rs 25,000.
Three Star had secured a place in the final as winner of group A in the qualifiers held from May 7 to 11 in Kathmandu. Erchim also made it to the final rounds as runner up from same group in the four team qualifiers.
Wishing for the team´s success in the tournament, ANFA President Thapa said serious effort from players could secure their place in the final. "The team comprises members of the current and former national team, new faces and foreign player as well. Thus if all members put in their best, we can certainly reach the final," Thapa said.
Three Star qualifies for the AFC Cup play-off (photo feature)