Kathmandu, August 10

A 30-member national football team is on Friday leaving for Japan to play friendly matches against local clubs and university teams.

The team consists of 24 players and six officials including three coaches. Nepal national team, which is preparing for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Tajikistan slated for September 5 on home soil, will play five friendly matches in Japan apart from attending the training session on a J-League team and watching a match.

Nepal will open the campaign with a match against Gamba Osaka U-23 team on August 13 before taking on Kwansei Gakuin University three days later. They will then face Amitie Sports Club, Hanan University and Vissel Kobe in three back-to-back matches from August 17. According to head coach Gyotoko Koji, the team will also watch a J-League match and a training session of a premier division club of Japan.

Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Masashi Ogawa, National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista and All Nepal Football Association President Narendra Shrestha bade farewell to the team amidst a programme today.

Japanese Ambassador Ogawa hoped the tour would be fruitful for the Nepal national team in their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup. “I believe the experience the Nepali team will get in Japan will be helpful for the players to beat Tajikistan,” said Ogawa. He informed that the Nepali team’s tour was part of Japanese government’s Sport For Tomorrow scheme. “Apart from football, I request you to visit disaster hit areas in Osaka and take stock of the city,” said Ogawa. Osaka was struck by a powerful earthquake in 1995.

ANFA President Shrestha thanked Japan government and Japan FA for their contribution in Nepali football. He also lauded ANFA Technical Director Chiaki Takeda and Nepal national team head coach Gyotoku Koji for their efforts in arranging the Japan tour. “Since 2015 we have been getting the services of two gentlemen — Takeda and Koji. We have been able to make our mark in international arena since then and I hope their contribution will help us win more accolades in the days to come,” said Shrestha.

The team consists of three goalkeepers Bikesh Kuthu, Bishal Shrestha and Alan Neupane, while the eight defenders are Biraj Maharjan, Ananta Tamang, Bimal Basnet, Devendra Tamang, Jitendra Karki, Kamal Shrestha, Rajendra Rawal, Dinesh Rajbanshi, and Man Bahadur Tamang. Likewise, Bikram Lama, Heman Gurung, Bishal Rai, Sujal Shrestha, Anjan Bista, Hemant Thapa Magar and Sunil Bal are the midfielders, while skipper Anil Gurung, Bharat Khawash, Bimal Gharti Magar, Nawayug Shrestha and Suman Lama are the forwards.

Likewise, Gyotoku Koji of Japan is the head coach of the team and will be assisted in the tour by Raju Kaji Shakya and Ujjwal Manandhar.

ANFA Treasurer Birat Jung Shahi is the team manager, while Dr Raju Dangol and Roshan Tuladhar (interpreter) are also in the team.