By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has appointed Navyug Shrestha as the captain of the Nepali national football team.
ANFA handed over the responsibility to Shrestha in the absence of regular captain and goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong, who has been excluded from the national team for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers along with 10 senior players following the players’ altercation with the chief coach Abdullah Al Mutairi.
Although Chemjong was not in the country when the altercation took place in April 26, he was not included in the national team. ANFA and chief coach Al Mutairi have not given any reason for not including Chemjong in the national team.
Shrestha will lead the national football team during the third round of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers 2023 to be held in Kuwait. Nepali national football team is heading towards Qatar on Wednesday for the team’s preparation for the qualifiers.
ANFA announced Shrestha as the captain during a programme organized to bid farewell to the team. Chief coach Al Mutairi had announced the final squad for the qualifiers last Friday.
Final Squad:
Goalkeepers: Deep Karki, Bishal Sunar and Tikendra Singh Thapa
Defenders: Bikash Khawas, Bikash Tamang, Gautam Shrestha, Rajan Gurung, Shiva Gurung and Suman Aryal
Midfielders: Aakash Budha Magar, Arik Bista, Nir Kumar Rai, Pujan Uparkoti, Roshan Rana Magar, Santosh Tamang, Sesehang Angdembe, Sunil Bal and Suraj Jyu Thakuri
Forwards: Aayush Ghalan, Darshan Gurung, George Prince Karki, Manish Dangi and Navyug Shrestha
