Nepal’s national football team returns to the field Thursday night for a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Bahrain. The game, which also serves as an Asia Cup qualifier, will take place in Manama’s National Stadium at 12:45 AM tonight Nepali time. Bahrain will have the home-field advantage.
Nepal enters the match seeking to build upon their previous performance against Bahrain. Last week, in a game technically designated as Nepal’s “home match,” the team suffered a 5-0 defeat after the Dashrath Stadium was deemed unsuitable for qualifiers. This time, facing a formidable Bahrain squad, Nepal’s primary challenge will be avoiding a similarly wide margin of loss.
Recent controversies within the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) regarding the team and its coach, along with the potential departure of key players overseas, add to the pressure Nepal faces. A defensive strategy may be the team’s only viable option. Further hampering their efforts, two key first-choice players, Anjan Bista (injury) and Manish Dangi (double yellow card), will be unavailable.
Despite the challenges, head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese maintained a positive outlook at the pre-match conference. “We have prepared well, and the players are feeling good,” he stated. “This will be an opportunity for new players to step up. We aim to improve upon the first game and present a strong challenge on the field.”
Captain Kiran Limbu echoed his coach’s sentiment, emphasizing the team’s unity despite limited training opportunities. “We have full faith in the team. We are ready for this game, mentally and physically,” he said.
This marks Nepal’s second encounter with Bahrain. Currently winless and goalless in three consecutive matches, Nepal sits at the bottom of qualifying Group H. The UAE leads the group with a perfect record, followed by Bahrain and Yemen. Bahrain’s Croatian coach, Dragan Talajic, acknowledges the game may be more difficult than expected.
