KATHMANDU, Aug 30: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has announced a 23-member Nepal national football team for the second-phase qualification of Asian Qualifiers FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and Asian Cup China 2023 on Thursday. Head coach Johan Kalin headed the selection process of the team.
Biraj Maharjan has once again failed to find place in the squad after being omitted for the friendly match loss against Malaysian League champion Johor Darul Ta’Zim on Monday. Coach Kalin had earlier dropped regular skipper Maharjan citing fitness concern.
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Experienced midfielder Rohit Chand and first choice goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong have made their return in the squad after resting for the friendly match. Both replaced Bimal Rana and Alan Neupane respectively.
Vice-captain Chemjong, who might get promoted to lead the team, was on trial for securing a place with a Japan’s third-division club, and mid-fielder Chand was with Indonesia’s Liga 1 defending champion Persija Jakarta.
Nepal is set to face Kuwait and Chinese Taipei on September 5 and 10 respectively.
Earlier, Nepal national football team suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of Malaysian Super League Champion Johor Darul Ta’ Zim football club in a friendly match on Monday. At the Pasar Gudang Stadium in Johar City, the Malaysian champion took an early lead converting a pinpoint free-kick by Argentine midfielder Nicolás Alberto Fernández in the third minute.
The friendly was part of Nepal’s final preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (AFC) matches. Nepal is pitted in Group B of the qualifiers along with Australia, Jordan, Kuwait and Chinese Taipei.
SQUAD
Kiran Chemjong, Bikesh Kuthu, Bishal Shrestha, Saroj Dahal, Ajit Bhandari, Dinesh Rajbanshi, Ananta Tamang, Devendra Tamang, Rajeen Dhimal, Suman Aryal, Rohit Chand, Sunil Bal, Rabi Paswan, Anjan Bista, Sujal Shrestha, Heman Gurung, Bikram Lama, Tej Tamang, Santosh Tamang, Bishal Rai, Bimal Gharti Magar, Avishek Rijal, Nawayug Shrestha.
