Team for President´s Cup to be determined on Thursday

Source: Republica

Kathmandu, 1 April 2010: The last two league matches to be played on Thursday will be the most vital matches of the first leg. The upcoming two matches- New Road Team (NRT) Vs Friends Club and Nepal Police Club Vs Nepal Army Club -- will determine the team representing Nepal in the AFC President´s Cup to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from May 12-16.

One of the top two teams, NRT with 23 and Police with 22 points - will qualify for the President´s Cup as third position holders Three Star Club have only 21 points after playing all matches of the first leg.

However, NRT have an upper hand in the race. If they win their first match of the day, the police will be out of the President´s Cup race. But if they lose against Friends, only a draw will be sufficient for the police to qualify on the basis of goal difference as both of them will have equal 23 points. NRT have plus seven goals in their account and police plus 11.

But if NRT play a draw, the police who have represented Nepal in the last three editions of the tournament must win the match to qualify. The police were lucky to represent Nepal from 2007-2009 as the 2007 league winners as the domestic league was paralyzed for three years due to dispute between All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and some first and second division clubs.

But, both the contenders for the President´s Cup are expected to face tough challenges. NRT will face fifth position holders Friends Club who have accumulated 18 points winning six matches while the police will meet sixth placed Army who have 15 points from four wins and three draws.