National team’s closed training postponed!

KATHMANDU: The Nepali National Football Team’s closed training has been rescheduled.

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) announced on Thursday that the national team’s closed training has been postponed.

The national squad began training on Thursday for the 14th edition of the Men’s SAFF Championship, which will be held in India, as well as a friendly match against the Philippines.

However, after the ten teams in the Shahid Smarak ‘A’ Division League chose to release their players to the national team’s closed training only after the league ended, ANFA canceled the training.

According to ANFA, the clubs made this decision as a form of protest because ANFA has yet to pay the preparatory fees for the second installment, match money, match ball, and man of the match sum that the players are entitled to.

According to the schedule set by ANFA, the team will train at the Dasharath Stadium tomorrow, Friday, but it has been postponed.

Nepali national team head coach Vincenzo Alberto Enesse announced the 30-member initial team on Tuesday.

From Ashar 6-18 (June 21 to July 3), the SAFF Championship will be place in Bangalore.

Similarly, Nepal will play a friendly match on Jestha 32 (June 15) in preparation for the SAFF.

Nepal is in Group ‘A’ of the SAFF. Nepal is in the same group with former winners India, Kuwait, and Pakistan.

Group ‘B’ includes Lebanon, the Maldives, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

Along with Nepal, the championship will be attended by India, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bhutan, Pakistan, and the Maldives.

Due to a FIFA suspension, Sri Lanka will not participate in this edition. Kuwait and Lebanon, on the other hand, will compete as invited teams.

The first SAFF match will be played between Nepal and Kuwait. On Ashar 6 (June 21), the first match between Nepal and Kuwait will begin at 4:00 PM Nepali time.

On Ashar 9 (June 24), Nepal will face host India in the second match. On Ashar 12 (June 27), they will face Pakistan in the third and final match of the group round.

Nepal finished second in the 13th SAFF Championship, which was held in the Maldives. In the title match, Nepal was defeated 3-0 by India.

Initial Squad:

Goalkeepers: Kiran Chemjong (RG Punjab FC), Deep Karki (Manang Marsyangdi Club), Bishal Shrestha (Machhindra Football Club)

Defenders: Bimal Panday (Tribhuvan Army Football Club), Sanish Shrestha (APF Football Club), Ananta Tamang (Church Boys United), Devendra Tamang (Machhindra Football Club), Nishant Khadka (Sankata Club), Ashish Gurung (Manang Marsyangdi Club), Bikram Lama (Three Star Club), Rohit Chand (Persic Kedri), Simanta Thapa (Jawalakhel Youth Club), Anjal Maharjan (Friends Club)

Midfielders: Pujan Uperkoti (Machhindra Football Club), Arik Bista (Church Boys United), Nabin Lama (APF Football Club), Mani Kumar Lama (APF Football Club), Sudip Gurung (Satdobato Youth Club), Laken Limbu (Three Star Club), Avas Lamichhane (APF Football Club), Bishal Tamang (Jawalakhel Youth Club)

Forwards: Ayush Ghalan (Sankata Club), Nawayug Shrestha (Tribhuvan Army Football Club), Dipak Raj Singh Thakuri (Satdobato Youth Club), Anjan Bista (Church Boys United), Manish Dangi (Sankata Club), Aashish Chaudhary (Church Boys United), Bimal Gharti Magar (Machhindra Football Club), Gillespye Jung Karki (Tribhuvan Army Football Club), Dinesh Henjan (Tribhuvan Army Football Club)