Kathmandu, July 22:

Nepali national team registered a morale boosting 1-0 win over East Bengal Club in Kolkata today, ahead of their AFC Challenge Cup starting from July 30 in Hyderabad.

Nirajan Khadka scored a 20th-minute winner to give Nepal a 1-0 win over one of India’s reputed clubs. Khadka scored after Nepal Police striker Jumanu Rai’s strike rebounded of the bar. Nepal made it to the eight-team final round after beating Macau and hosts Cambodia in the qualifying.

The Nepali team is currently in Kolkata to fine tune their preparations for the Challenge Cup. Nepal will play another warm-up match against Chirag Sports Club on Saturday before heading for Hyderabad.

Nepal are drawn in Group B along with Myanmar, DPR Korea and Sri Lanka. Nepal will play against Myanmar on July 31, before playing DPR Korea on August 2 and Sri Lanka two days later.

Nepal had entered the semi-finals of the first edition of the tournament held in Bangladesh in 2006.