Nepal overwhelming favorites to lift AFC Under-14 qualifiers

After having endured the ignominy and fiasco of the   senior national football team in the AFC Challenge Cup, it is now the turn of the   young rising football stars to take the center stage.

The   future stars of Nepal   will get a chance to shine   in the AFC   Under-14 Group C qualifiers, starting 2^nd April in Kathmandu. The championship is being organized yet once again by All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

The round-robin tourney features    Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Nepal   has been   a force in age group football for a good number of years in   South Asia and beyond.

Sadly, most age group teams   are going through a period of decline,  and they will lose more ground if the trend continues unchecked.

They are no more indomitable   as they used to be, however, the   only exception is   the under -14 national squad. They have been playing   quite well   of late and   are producing   good results.

The present crops    of   players    are incredibly   talented and have appetite for success. The   successful   tour of Japan undertaken by the young Turks recently is a   very   positive sign.

They turned in an   impressive and inspiring   performance and   registered    wins against Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Japan. This, obviously, proves that the youngsters   are in great form and playing to their potential.

Speaking of the AFC qualifiers, of the   five teams in the competition, the host is by far the most solid and formidable in terms of performance and record.

They start the competition   as overwhelming favorites and have the chance to live   up to the expectations   and hype surrounding them. They have got everything in their   favor, and they face relatively   easy   and average opponents, undoubtedly.

The home team   face opposition   they   defeated   pretty handily (several times) in the past. This gives them the     psychological   edge, and it is also a great opportunity to dominate these teams and re-assert its football prowess.

The squad is studded with a bevy of   very skillful and versatile players in the likes of Bimal Gharti Magar, Shiva Subedi, Suman Parajuli, Hemant Thapa Magar, Lalit Thapa and many more. They carry plenty of football instincts and passion, and they   are the players of the future.

One player stands out from the   pack. He is no other than the   highly regarded striker   Bimal Gharti Magar. Last   year   he   made history, following his selection to the   senior   national team. He became   the   youngest   player in the history of Nepali football to play for the national team.

Once again the youngster will be   back   in   the spotlight, and   surely, he must be looking to carry his goal scoring exploits into the tournament. That said, ultimately it all comes down to team work and how well players gel with each other.

The host   should not get over confident   and underestimate opponents. Otherwise, it can lead to careless, sloppy and costly   mistakes. The key to success is: Respect the opponents and put your hundred percent efforts.

They can expect tough resistance from the vastly improved Afghanistan and Tajikistan. I still think they will/should   win the tournament effortlessly and advance to the next round. 

The AFC tourney for upcoming footballers has   assumed immense importance, given the scope and size of   the   competition. The U-14 tournament, the ultimate   age-group championship   will   showcase   the continent’s   best young talents.    

Indeed, this   is   a   huge   platform   for youngsters to shine, impress, and   make their mark on international football. They have to make best use of the opportunity and must aim higher at the same time.

The coaching trios of   Bal Gopal Maharjan, Sunil Shrestha and Mrigendra Mishra have done a wonderful   job. A   convincing   tournament success would pay dividends for coaching staffs.  .