Kathmandu, July 21:

Nabil Three Star Club skipper Upendra Man Singh and his Manang Marsyangdi Club counterpart Tashi Tshiring were confident of winning the friendly match — Challenge to the Champion — at Dasharath Stadium on Saturday.

The match is being organised by Nepal Sports Journalists’ Forum (NSJF) in association with Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) to raise fund for the Journalists’ Welfare Fund to support the education of the children of the journalists killed during the 13-year-long armed conflict in the country.

“This is a friendly match for a noble cause and we all are happy to be a part of it,” said Singh. He also thanked the organisers for giving an opportunity to help the needy. “As footballers, this is what we can do and we are ready to play such 1,000 matches for the sake of good,” he said.

Regarding the match, Shrestha said that his team was confident of taking revenge over MMC.

“We could have won the last year’s league, but MMC ruined our party. This time around, we will not let them beat us again,” declared Singh.

MMC skipper Tshiring was equally confident of his team’s win in the match. “It’s an honour for us. Most probably, MMC is playing in first such match, and we will try to maintain our record against Three Star,” he said. MMC has never lost to Three Star in the league.

ANFA President Ganesh Thapa thanked the organisers for choosing football for the cause. “There are so many sports, but I am obliged to the organisers for choosing football for the noble cause,” he said.

Thapa also announced scholarships for 12-13 year-old children to keep in the ANFA Academy. “Apart from providing the scholarships, I will also try to manage some funds from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC),” he informed.

FNJ Chairman Bishnu Nisthuri said that everybody involved in the match would be a winner. “As the match is for a noble cause, no one will have to lose anything. Everyone will be victorious,” said Nisthuri thanking all the individuals and associations who have extended their help for the match.

FNJ general secretary Mahendra Bista and NSJF President Niranjan Rajbanshi also expressed their views on the occasion. Three Star coach Mrigendra Mishra and MMC coach Chhiring Lobsang Gurung were also present on the occasion.

The organisers also informed that the daughters of slain journalist Dekendra Thapa, Nutan, 10, and Nisha, 9, would inaugurate the match — Challenge to the Champion.

Thapa, a Dailekh-based journalist associated with Radio Nepal, was murdered by the Maoists on August 11, 2004 after a month-long captivity accusing him of spying for the security forces. He is survived by two daughters and a son.