Nepal to face Philippines in AFC Asian Cup Qualifier
Nepali football which is ranked 170th in FIFA rankings has poor record against the 124th-placed Philippines as it has registered just one win out of four matches and faced three defeats. After playing away to Philippines, Nepal will host home games against Yemen on June 13 and Tajikistan on September 5 in Kathmandu.
Watch : Nepal VS Philippines Football | AFC Asian Cup Qualifier
The Philippine encounter is the biggest for Nepal, coached by the Japanese Koji Gyotoku since March 2016, in over two years. “We have had a long time to practice for the tournament. There are some players who are carrying injuries, but that shall not be a problem,” says Gyotoku.
Head-to-head
Nepal and the Philippines have played four matches so far and Nepal has lost last three matches against the Philippines. Nepal and Philippines had played their first match in 1982, when Nepal had won the match by 1-0. In 2011, the Philippines had beaten Nepal 4-0. In 2014, the two teams encountered twice and the Philippines produced 3-0 victory on both the occasions. The Philippines are at 124th rank of FIFA while Nepal is at 170th ranking.
Nepal Squad : Bikesh Kathu, Kiran Kumar Limbu and Bishal Shrestha, Rohit Chand, Bishal Rai, Heman Gurung, Bikram Lama, Anjan Bista and Sujal Shrestha,Rabin Shrestha, Biraj Maharjan, Ananta Tamang, Aditya Chaudhari, Kamal Shrestha, Ranjit Dhimal and Jitendra Karki, Bimal Ghati Magar, Ranjan Bista, Bharat Khawas and Karna Limbu
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