Nepal faces true test in AFC Under-23 Qualifiers

Yet once again, die hard football fans have another international competition featuring Nepal to look forward to.This time they are cautiously optimistic about the team’s success.

Never mind the odds heavily  stacked against them, but the encouraging thing is that players are in a positive frame of mind, looking confident and determined to find success.

Nepal will be in action in the 2018 AFC Under-23  Championship qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates(UAE).In the Group D matchups, Nepal will battle against in the likes of the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Lebanon for a place in the next round.

No one can dispute the fact that an acid test awaits Nepal as they face tough opponents. In other words, it will be a true test for our young booters who are eager to prove critics wrong.The big question then, is will the team deliver?

Obviously, the UAE and Uzbekistan start favorites and are the teams to beat. They appear well geared up for the challenge.As part of the preparations for the competition, both teams played a series of quality friendlies.Judging by their performance, they look strong and well organized.

Lebanon, a country crippled by civil war is gradually making a comeback in international football. They are a decent team and cannot be taken lightly. It is a side packed with players with good physical prowess and skills.

All three teams have physical edge over Nepal. Nepal has to display mental toughness, physical tenacity, athleticism to combat physical opponents.

I am keeping my fingers crossed and hope that Team Nepal succeeds and catch us by surprise and exceeds expectations.This remains to be seen.We often make the mistake of placing unrealistic expectations on players, which is unfair. Given the sorry state of football, they are doing their best.

No one doubts Nepal skippered by youngster Bimal Gharti Magar is a team with potential and have the talent to win, but the fact of the matter is that they face a daunting challenge.The opponents they are up against are formidable, physically stronger and seemingly better prepared.

The bottom line is: they have to turn in a solid consistent performance to stand any chance in the competition.

They must be at their very best to overcome obstacles and achieve against odds.When all is said and done, it will come down to a collective effort, individual brilliance and clinical finish at the end of the day.

There is clearly no room for complacency and mediocrity, and they have to make the most of the scoring chances. For a team that has mightily struggled to score goals, the offense has to step up and find the net.  In addition, they lack big match temperament and confidence, which needs to be reversed. This is another big competition and another big chance to prove themselves.

The one silver lining is that they are capable of delivering results. The team’s success in the 2016 Bangabandhu Gold Cup and 2016 South Asian Games prove they can succeed again.The team will need encore performance.

They will have to show mental poise, focus, and rise to the occasion to meet the challenge. Head Coach Raju Shakya will have the bulk of players of the senior national team for the desert challenge. The roaster comprises of as many as ten national team players who have played together as a unit for long enough.

Nepal’s  morale-boosting victory  over Under-23 Bangladesh in a one -off friendly has provided some momentum and  confidence going into the tournament.They face a tough opener against the UAE. It is really important to get off to a good start, and they have to put in the extra effort and must up the ante.

The competition provides up-and-coming players with big international tournament aspirations to shine on the big stage. They have to grab the opportunity and got to make the most of the chance. Good luck.