Members of Nepal’s national football squad are in the final leg of their preperations for thier first match in the AFC Cup Qualifiers against the Phillipines next week.

Nepal, who were to play their next international tournament in Bangladesh in 2017 at the 10th SAF, find themselves playing in a tournament they were not qualified to play. But last minute withdrawals from two teams meant that Nepal could feature in the tourney.

Nepal, who have improved their goal-scoring in the last two years, take on the Philippines on their own turf on Tuesday, but without their main star striker Nawayug Shrestha. Nepal go into the tournament undefeated since the 9th SAF, a tournament in which it crashed out in the group stage. In the meantime, Nepal have also won the Bangabandhu Cup and the AFC Solidarity Cup, both of which are not big tournament. In the last 12 games, the national side has played, it has won seven while drawn five.

The Philippine encounter is the biggest for Nepal, coached by the Japanese Koji Gyotoku since March 2016, in over two years.

“We have had a long time to practice for the tournament. There are some players who are carrying injuries, but that shall not be a problem,” says Gyotoku.

The Phillipines are placed 46 places above Nepal in the lates FIFA rankings. In addition to that the home side will receive all the crowd support at the Rizal Memorial Statdium in Manila.

The Philippine team has professional footballers who now how to retain possession of the ball, says Gyotoku. We are working on a strategy to counter just that.

Who’s not playing?

Coach Gyotoku has dropped the regular captain Anil Gurung from the squad. He has recalled striker Karna Limbu, who has had an impressive run in the domestic competitions. Start player Rohit Chand, who had been recuperating from an injury for the last one-and-a-half years returns to the team. Nawayug Shrestha will miss the game.

“Yes, we have made changes to the team. We wil field the best squad possible,” says the coach.

Captain Biraj Maharjan believes that the youth in his squad will be its main strength. “We achieved a lot of things in the past few years. The team is improving, and leaving Nawayug aside, everyone is fit to play,” he said. Maharjan says Nepal’s strategy for the game is to go for the win. “We know that they have professional players and they have a strong squad. But we will play for a win,” he said.

Nepal have been pitted in Group F of the tournament, which is to be played across Asia. Other teams in the group are Yemen and Tazhekistan. Two best teams from the group play the AFC Cup, Asia’s premier tournament.

Nepal will play its home matches at the Satdobato Football Ground. Nepal have already beaten Yemen in the finals of the AFC Solidarity Cup.

Nepal’s matches: June 13 (vs Yemen, Kathmandu), October 10 (Tazhekistan, Tazhekistan), March 27, 2018 (vs Yemen, Kathmandu).