Kathmandu, August 18
The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-20 Championship is set to begin today. In the opening match of the tournament, which features six participating teams, hosts Nepal will face Sri Lanka.
The Group A match between Nepal and Sri Lanka will kick off at 3 pm at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato.
Nepal, hosting the tournament for the second consecutive time, is aiming to win the title this year.
Sri Lanka did not participate in the previous edition of the tournament due to internal reasons.
The Nepali team will be led by captain Kushal Deuba. Jiarath Sheikh, who captained Nepal in last year’s SAFF U-19 Championship, is also part of the squad.
This year, Nepal’s team is more experienced, with players from the Division League and NSL in the squad. Forward Samir Tamang, who has already played for the national team, is also included.
Head coach Urjan Shrestha expressed confidence in his team’s ability to deliver a strong performance with the support of experienced players, the home ground, and local fans.
The SAFF U-20 Championship features six South Asian teams, including Pakistan. Group A consists of Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh while defending champion India is grouped with Bhutan and the Maldives in Group B. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
