47 selected in Round I for SAG football

source: myrepublica.com

KATHMANDU, Dec 14: Forty-seven footballers, including five over-aged players, have been selected in the first round to represent Nepal´s U-23 football team in the 11th South Asian Games (SAG).

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) selected the over-aged players as three of them are allowed to participate in the SAG age group football. National team´s Captain Sagar Thapa, goalkeeper Bikash Malla, striker Jumanu Rai, midfielders Raju Tamang and Pradeep Maharajn are the over-aged players selected in the first round.

Among the selected footballers, 11 are from the national team. Biraj Maharjan, Rohit Chand, Rabin Shrestha, Sandeep Rai, Ranjit Shrestha, Yogesh Shrestha, Nirajan Khadka, Bhola Silwal, Anil Gurung, Santosh Shaukhala and Chetan Ghimire are from the national team.

Those who returned from South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship will join the training from Tuesday, said the SAG team coach Yogambar Suwal. Others were already under training for the last one month.

According to Suwal, the number of players will be brought down to 24 during the second round of selection next week.

The players selected for the SAG team will compete in the British Gorkha Cup Football Championship to be held from December 19 from their respective clubs.

“An excellent team will be formed this time as the players have got plenty of time for training and there are a lot of choices this time,” claimed Suwal. “The team will be strong as three over-aged players can compete this time. The team´s weakness will be covered by the senior players,” he added.

The national football team was replaced by the U-23 team since the 9th edition of the SAG while this is the first time that three over-aged players are being allowed to participate.

Nepal had won gold medal in the first and sixth edition of the regional event and managed to reach the final during the eight edition held in Kathmandu. The SAG will be held from January 29 to Febreuay 9, 2010.

First round selection

Nirajan Khadka, Sujal Shrestha, Rabi Thapa, Navin Maharjan (goalkeeper), Kovit Khadka, Suman Khadka, Sudeep Sikhakar and Ramkrishna GC of Sankata Club; Roshan Karki, Suman Subedi, Pankaj Shahi, Ramesh Katuwal, Jitendra Singh Bista, Dipen Shrestha, Yogesh Shrestha, Bhola Silwal, Chatan Ghimire and Rabin Shrestha of Nepal Police; Deepak Bhusal, Bharat Khawas, Noor Raj Kafle, Rupak Shrestha and Pukar BK of Friend´s Club; Santosh Shaukhala, Sandeep Rai, Bikash Singh Chhetri, Pravin Karki, Anil Ojha, Sanjeev Shrestha (goalkeeper) and Kiran Chemjong of Nabil Three Star Club; Biraj Maharjan, Ranjit Shrestha, Laxman Ruchal, Roshan Lamichhane and Jeevan Sinkeman of NRT; Shiva Shrestha of Manang Marshyangdi Club; Rohit Chand and Dinesh Thapa (goalkeeper) of Machhindra Club; Santosh Gurung of RCT; Amir Shrestha of APF; and Anil Gurung of Shillong Lajong.