Nepal confident of beating Malaysia in friendly tie

Kathmandu, May 21

Nepal women’s national football team will play their first of the two international friendly matches against Malaysia at the Stadium Likas in Kote Kinabalu on Monday.

Malaysia are hosting Nepal for two friendly matches, second on May 24, as part of preparation for the 29th Southeast Asian Games slated for August 19-30 in Kuala Lumpur. Nepal had invited Malaysia for a friendly match in December last year at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur to prepare for the SAFF Women’s Championship held in India from December 26 to January 4.

Nepal had defeated the visitors with a 1-0 scoreline in coach Kumar Thapa’s debut match and he looks confident of beating producing winning results against the hosts this time as well. “The team is fully prepared for tomorrow’s match and I am confident that Nepal will come up with the winning results,” said Thapa at a pre-match conference on Sunday.

Thapa said the matches would be helpful for Nepal in next year’s SAFF Women’s Championship. The Nepali team, which landed in Malaysia on Saturday, had two days of short training before the matches. Thapa said his side worked on defense and striking areas.

On the other hand, Malaysia head coach Mohd Asyraaf Fong Abdullah said his side would try to avenge the defeat that they faced in Nepal’s home ground. “We have included nine new faces in the current squad and the team members have a high morale ahead of the matches. We are hope for positive results against Nepal this time around,” said Abdullah.