LALITPUR: The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) today announced a 36-member preliminary squad for the AFC Challenge Cup finals including Parbat Pandey, Tek Bahadur Budhathoki, Tanka Basnet, Nawayug Shrestha, Kunjan Gurung, Rupesh KC and Bishal Rai ‘A’.
The players were selected for the March 8-19 tournament by evaluating their performances in the recently concluded Red Bull National League, won by Nepal Police Club (NPC). Among those called for a closed-camp training, Kunjan — who had played for seventh-tier football club Farnborough FC of England — had impressed the Nepal’s English coach Graham Roberts.
Nawayug was the leading scorer of the league with seven goals, while Parbat scored three goals and had played a crucial role in helping NPC clinch the inaugural National League.
Nine players — Bishal Shrestha, Sandip Rai, Sabindra Shrestha, Deepak Bhusal, Nirajan Khadka, Bijay Gurung, Sujal Shrestha, Santosh Sahukhala and Anil Gurung — have been called from Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club, while seven — Ritesh Thapa, Rabin Shrestha, Bhola Silwal, Parbat, Jumanu Rai, Bharat Khawas and Ramesh Katuwal — from the champions Nepal Police Club.
Bikash Malla, Tanka, Tek Bahadur, Nawayug and Raju Tamang were picked up from the Tribhuvan Army Club. Among those called from Mega Three Star Club include Kiran Chemjong, Biraj Maharjan, Bikash Singh Chhetry and Anil Ojha.
Other in the squad include Sagar Thapa, Jagjit Shrestha, Kunjan Gurung and Rupesh KC of Yeti Himalayan Sherpa Club, Jeetendra Karki and Raju Yogi of New Road Team, Nirajan Malla and Ganesh Lawati of Nepal APF Club, Bishal Rai ‘A’ and Bishal Rai ‘B’ of Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club and Rohit Chand of i-league club HAL.
Nepal have been drawn in Group ‘A’ in the tournament along with Maldives, Palestine and Turkmenistan, while Group ‘B’ comprises defending champions DPR Korea, India, Philippines and Tajikistan. The closed-camp trainning begins from Monday, said the AFC Challenge Cup host ANFA.
The players were selected for the March 8-19 tournament by evaluating their performances in the recently concluded Red Bull National League, won by Nepal Police Club (NPC). Among those called for a closed-camp training, Kunjan — who had played for seventh-tier football club Farnborough FC of England — had impressed the Nepal’s English coach Graham Roberts.
Nawayug was the leading scorer of the league with seven goals, while Parbat scored three goals and had played a crucial role in helping NPC clinch the inaugural National League.
Nine players — Bishal Shrestha, Sandip Rai, Sabindra Shrestha, Deepak Bhusal, Nirajan Khadka, Bijay Gurung, Sujal Shrestha, Santosh Sahukhala and Anil Gurung — have been called from Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club, while seven — Ritesh Thapa, Rabin Shrestha, Bhola Silwal, Parbat, Jumanu Rai, Bharat Khawas and Ramesh Katuwal — from the champions Nepal Police Club.
Bikash Malla, Tanka, Tek Bahadur, Nawayug and Raju Tamang were picked up from the Tribhuvan Army Club. Among those called from Mega Three Star Club include Kiran Chemjong, Biraj Maharjan, Bikash Singh Chhetry and Anil Ojha.
Other in the squad include Sagar Thapa, Jagjit Shrestha, Kunjan Gurung and Rupesh KC of Yeti Himalayan Sherpa Club, Jeetendra Karki and Raju Yogi of New Road Team, Nirajan Malla and Ganesh Lawati of Nepal APF Club, Bishal Rai ‘A’ and Bishal Rai ‘B’ of Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club and Rohit Chand of i-league club HAL.
Nepal have been drawn in Group ‘A’ in the tournament along with Maldives, Palestine and Turkmenistan, while Group ‘B’ comprises defending champions DPR Korea, India, Philippines and Tajikistan. The closed-camp trainning begins from Monday, said the AFC Challenge Cup host ANFA.
