Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepali men’s national football team will compete in a three-nation friendly tournament in Tajikistan this November.
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) announced the fixtures through a social media post on Wednesday. According to ANFA, Nepal will face host Tajikistan on November 13, while it will play against Afghanistan on November 16. The matches have been scheduled during the FIFA international window.
Both matches will be played at the Dushanbe Central Stadium.
The tournament will provide Nepal with an opportunity to test its strength against regional competitors as both teams are above Nepal in the FIFA ranking. While Tajikistan is currently ranked 109th, Afghanistan is ranked 157th. Nepal is ranked 176th.
ANFA has named Nabin Neupane as interim coach for the friendlies. Neupane has already called 36 players for the closed-camp training.
Head to Head
Nepal has played Tajikistan twice so far. Nepal lost the first match 1-2 in the AFC Asian Cup Qualification in 2017, with Bimal Gharti Magar scoring a consolation goal for Nepal. It suffered a 0-3 defeat in the second match in 2019.
Similarly, Nepal has played six matches against Afghanistan, winning three, drawing two, and losing one. Nepal registered a 4-0 victory against Afghanistan in the AFC Asian Cup qualification match in 2003. The two teams drew 2-2 in an international friendly in 2008, while Nepal defeated Afghanistan 3-0 in the 2009 SAFF Championship. In 2011, Nepal secured a 1-0 victory over Afghanistan in the AFC Challenge Cup. The two teams played a goalless draw in the 2011 SAFF Championship, while Nepal suffered a 0-1 defeat in the 2013 SAFF Championship.
