KATHMANDU: All Nepal Football Association on Tuesday announced 24 players squad for tour to Japan as part of preparation for the upcoming AFC 2019 Asian Cup  qualifier against Tajikistan.

Nepal will take on Tajikistan at the Halchowk Stadium in Kathmandu on September 5.

In a statement today, ANFA said Nepal's National Football team head coach Gyotoku Koji has arranged five friendly matches against local clubs in his native country.

The squad consists of 24 players, retaining most of the players that were part of the Yemen clash in the AFC 2019 Asian qualifier held on June in Kathmandu, it said in the statement.

The squad will leave to Japan on August 11 before taking Gamba Osaka U-23 team in their first friendly fixture two days later.

Nepal will play against Kwansei Gakuin University on August 16, Amitie Sports Club on August 17, Hanan University on August 18 and Vissel Kobe U-18 team on August 19.

The tour was managed and supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Japan Football Association.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Bikesh Kuthu, Bishal Shrestha, Alan Neupane

Defenders: Biraj Maharjan, Ananta Tamang, Bimal Basnet, Devendra Tamang, Jitendra Karki, Kamal Shrestha, Rajendra Rawal, Dinesh Rajbanshi, Man Bahadur Tamang.

Midfielders: Bikram Lama, Heman Gurung, Bishal Rai, Sujal Shrestha, Anjan Bista, Hemant Thapa Magar, Sunil Bal

Forward: Anil Gurung, Bharat Khawash, Bimal Gharti Magar, Nawayug Shrestha, Suman Lama

Head Coach: Gyotoku Koji

Assistant Coach: Raju Shakya

Goal Keeping Coach: Ujjwal Manandhar

Team Manager: Biraj Jung Shahi