NRT discover Achilles' heel in Dhaka

PRAJWAL OLI

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 18: Despite the first round exit of his team from the AFC President´s Cup qualifiers, New Road Team (NRT) coach Diken Suwal is satisfied with his side´s performance in the tournament, held from May 12-16 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Winning one out of three matches played in the four-team group, NRT finished third with three points. NRT defeated Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei in their last group match to save the face of team and points drought.

In the regional tournament of the third tier footballing nations -- as classified by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) -- Nepal Police club who represented Nepal from 2007-2009 have only succeeded to enter the final in 2007. They were defeated 2-1 by Dordoi Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan currently known as Dordoi Bishkek.

Nepali football´s performance has been deteriorating in international tournaments ever since. In the fourth edition, Police crashed out from the semifinal and they crashed out from the group stage in the last edition as they finished at the bottom of the table with only two points.

Coach Suwal, who is leading NRT in the domestic league, blames three major drawbacks of Nepali national team and clubs -- frail build of Nepali players, lack of preparation and lack of preparation in favorable climate.

Coach Suwal rates the quality and playing skills of other opponents as “similar” to that of NRT. “But the opponents have well-built physique and better finishing skills compared to ours,” said Suwal who also considers luck to be important in football. “The ball hit the woodwork thrice in our 2-0 defeat against Abahani Limited from the host nation.”

Suwal did not hesitate to praise his side´s performance against Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan who defeated NRT 3-0.

“The boys put up a good show but were unlucky. They made some attractive strikes on target, but goalie remained the main obstacle in our way. On some occasions, the boys repeated clinical finishing problems as they missed scoring in one-on-one with opponent players. On the other hand, the opponents capitalized on most of the scoring opportunities.”

Suwal blamed such problems for lack of preparation matches of Nepali teams ahead of their international outings.

Another cause for poor show of Nepali sides in international tournaments as pointed out by Suwal is lack of preparation in the favorable environment. “Had we got a chance to prepare in a hot atmosphere as that of Bangladesh, we could have bettered our show in the President´s Cup.”

Besides this, the opponents fielded their teams with quality foreign players, stated Suwal who had fielded Danish Sayan Mosavi in their squad as a key striker in every match they played. He also blamed poor defending line up for his team´s defeat.

Suwal also suggested the All Nepal Football Association, the apex football body of the nation, to try to improve Nepal´s performance by providing proper diet to youth players.

NRT register consolation win

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 16: New Road Team (NRT) registered a consolation 4-3 win over Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei on Sunday in the last match of their AFC President´s Cup Group ´A´ qualifiers. Both NRT and Hasus had already crashed out from the race of final round.

Nabin Neupane scored the winner for NRT who twice came from behind to open the account in the points table. After trailing by a goal in the 17th minute, NRT took a 2-1 lead in the first half. Ranjit Shrestha scored the equalizer in the 43rd minute through a superb strike from outside the box in his solo effort.

Danish striker Sayan Mosavi of NRT added another in the second minute of the first half injury time. Mosavi scored utilizing a pass from Neupane.

Hasus leveled the scoring in the 58th minute and scored another three minutes later to take a 3-2 lead again. De Cai Su had scored the first two goals for Hasus and the third came from skipper Po-Liang Chen.

NRT came up with an attacking strategy after trailing for the second time and equalized the scoring in the 77th minute. Jeevan Sinkeman scored from a close range in a pass set by Biraj Maharjan and Neupane sealed the match in the 81st minute.

NRT coach Yogamber Suwal said the team came under pressure due to weak defense line up.

NRT had lost both of their previous matches in the regional tournament -- 2-0 against the home team Abahani Limited and 3-0 against Dordoi Bishkek, the two-time title holders and five-time finalists.

Until the sixth edition of the President´s Cup, NRT have become the third team from Nepal to crash out from the group stage. Manang Marshyangdi Club in 2006 and Nepal Police Club last year had also crashed out from the group stage.

Three Star Club had entered the semifinals in the first edition and Police made it through to the final in 2007 and lost in the semifinal in 2008.

In another match, Dordoi Biskek of Kyrgyzstan toiled hard to earn a place for the final round playing a goalless draw to Abahani Limited of the hosts.

Dordoi added seven points to top the group from three matches but Abahani with five points from as equal matches played were eliminated because ITTU from Turkmenistan of group C collected four points from two games. ITTU became the best runners up playing one match less than teams of other groups.

NRT crash out from group stage

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 14: New Road Team (NRT) of Nepal crashed out from group round of the AFC President´s Cup on Friday as they were handed second consecutive 3-0 defeat by Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan at the Bangabandu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Giving an early lead to the five-time finalists in the seventh minute, Volsov Yury added two more in the later stage of the second half to complete his hat-trick in the regional tournament.

Earlier, in the first match, NRT had lost to Abahani Limited of the hosts 2-0 on Wednesday.

Piling up consistent pressure from the beginning, Yury made a brilliant display to open the scoring unleashing a powerful strike from the box after sprinting with the ball from the center and beating four Nepali defenders inside the box.

Yury added another in the 75th minute through a header in a cross of Aboh Faruh and completed his hat-trick five minutes from time yet again through a header utilizing a corner of Aysikoh Alexander.

Sayan Mosavi of NRT squandered a chance of scoring in the sixth minute as he shot wide from close range in a pass of Nirajan Rayamajhi. After going down by 1-0 NRT displayed a well coordinated show but failed to score in the first-half. Umesh Uprety´s free-kick in the 25th minute from the edge skied above the bar and Sagar Thapa´s 20-yard strike six minutes later was punched by Dordoi´s goalie Samsaliev Talant.

NRT goalie Surendra Shrestha prevented about a dozen post attacks in the first half.

Physically taller and stronger Kyrgyz players often passed out in the ground due to the hot climate of Dhaka and adopted defensive strategy in the second half against NRT who played low balls. Mosavi´s strike from the edge in the 57th minute was prevented by goalie Talant.

NRT coach Yogamber Suwal said that they were unable to resist pressure from the physically stronger players. He expressed satisfaction toward his side´s performance.

Dordoi coach Dvoryankov Sergie said that they registered an easy win as they succeeded in utilizing chances. He, however, rated NRT as better than Abahani Limited.

NRT will play against Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei in their last match on Sunday.

NRT to face Dordoi on Friday

PRAJWAL OLI

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 13: New Road Team (NRT) of Nepal will face Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan on Friday in their second match of the AFC President´s Cup group ´A´ qualifiers at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Unlike the five-time finalists and two-time title holders Dordoi, debutant NRT will be under pressure to win their match to keep their hopes afloat to book a spot in the final round.

Dordoi already having registered an impressive 5-0 rout over Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei will come up with a high morale. NRT had lost in their first outing to Abahani Limited at the home turf on Wednesday.

NRT who got chance for official international participation after 14 years still are not in the mood to give up. “The match against Dordoi will be a do-or-die match for us,” stated NRT coach Yogamber Suwal to a Nepali official in Dhaka. However, he was apprehensive about the hot weather in Bangladesh. In all previous five editions, Nepali clubs have not won a single match against Dordoi.

“It does not matter which among the two teams is strong, but we will put in all our efforts against the Kyrgyz team,” Suwal said.

NRT skipper and goalie Surendra Shrestha is also determined to win the match at any cost. “Despite the tough opponents we are not nervous. We know that we must win the match to keep us in the race for the final round,” Shrestha echoed a similar view.

NRT will try to better their defending lineup and come up with first choice players. NRT will play low ball against the physically taller and stronger opponents.

Dordoi on the other hand have already presented themselves as the title favorites with an impressive victory against Hasus, and are eager to repeat their glorious history.

Though five of their players had passed out due to hot weather in their previous match, Dordoi coach Dvoryankov Sergie claimed that they are able to win irrespective of weather conditions. “We must defend our glorious history. Climatic conditions should not matter a professional team,” said Sergie.

Nepali teams´ results against Dordoi

2005 semifinal

Three Star 3-4 (tiebreaker)

2006 group stage

MMC 0-2

2007 group stage

Police 0-3

Final

Police 1-2

2008 semifinal

Police 1-3

Enamul sinks New Road

Source: The Daily Star

Thursday May 13, 2010: A brace from prolific striker Enamul Haque gave hosts Abahani a good start in the AFC President's Cup Group A qualifiers after they handed a 2-0 defeat to Nepal's New Road Team in the day's second match under floodlight at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Abahani's national striker Enamul maintained his international form to strike one goal apiece in each half as the long-haired forward had earlier scored 11 goals for Bangladesh.

Abahani, who are close to winning the domestic professional football league title three times in a row, successfully translated their amazing league performance into the AFC President's Cup and left the field with heads held high.

Though the booters of the first match suffered from scorching heat but the players had no such problems in the evening game as it got underway under breezy conditions and Abahani played in a similar pace throughout the 90 minutes to keep the Nepalese defenders busy.

Coach Amalesh Sen fielded five defenders, preferring Ghanaian recruit Awudu Ibrahim as the lone striker and the pulsating movement of Abahani's foreign recruit kept New Road's defenders at bay in the first half.

Abahani came within a whisker of taking a lead in the fourth minute when Awudu Ibrahim, set by Motiur Munna, drove a powerful shot outside the box that went inches over the bar much to the relief of goalkeeper Surendra Kumar Shrestha.

The Sky Blues kept on creating chances before Enamul and Awudu played a cute one-two to split the defence to enter the danger zone and the Bangladesh League took a position on the right to smash a square-pass off Awudu home to give Abahani a deserved lead in the 27th minute.

Awudu, the most reliable player of Abahani, then could have doubled the advantage but the inspirational striker blasted straight to goalkeeper Surendra.

After the break, Amalesh brought two changes sending Zahed Parvez Chowdhury and Shahedul Islam in place of Pranotosh Kumar and Mehdi Hasan Ujjal in a bid to establish more control in the midfield, and the input paid off for the hosts immediately.

A Zahed Parvez cross from the right was handled by Sagar Thapa and referee Kim Sang Woo awarded a penalty for the hosts and Enamul deceived opponent goalkeeper to send the ball to his right-hand corner to double the margin in the 68th minute.

Before the second, Abahani's real scare came in the 65th minute when Mosavi Shayan darted in the box with goalkeeper Biplob to beat, but the Danish striker hit straight to the Abahani goalie to squander a chance of an equaliser.

Shayan then squandered two more chances, hitting the woodwork in the 75th minute and smashing the second straight to goalkeeper Biplob.

Enamul could have gotten a treble in the last moment but Zahed instead of passing it to the unmarked Enamul struck straight to goalkeeper Shurendra.

Abahani coach Amalesh was happy with the victory but not the result.

"It could have been pleasant for us had we won the game with a 4-0 margin. We also created the chances, but could not avail those," said Amalesh adding that they had an intention to start the campaign with a big margin.

Despite going down, Yogamber Suwal was happy with the way his boys played.

"Abahani capitalised the opportunities but we could not and it basically made the difference. Besides the boys could not cope with the heat," said Suwal.

TEAMS

ABAHANI: Biplob Bhattacharjee, Rajani Kanto Barman, Atiqur Rahman Mishu, Ibnul Siraji, Mohammad Sujan, Samad Yousuf, Motiur Munna, Pranotosh Kumar (Zahed Parvez Chowdhury), Mehdi Hasan Ujjal (Shahedul Alam), Awudu Ibrahim (Abul Hossain) and Emanul Haque.

NEW ROAD: Surendra Kumar Shrestha, Biraj Maharjan, Umesh Upreti, Jeevan Sinkemana, Nirajan Rayamajhi, Ghavghani Mosavi Shayan, Rajesh Khadagi, Nabin Neupane, Roshan Lamichhane, Sagar Thapa and Rajit Shrestha (Laxman Ruchal).

Yellow cards: Mehdi Hasan Ujjal (Abahani), Jeevan and Sagar (New Road Team)

Referee: Kim Sang Woo (Korea Republic).

NRT expected to face tough fight

PRAJWAL OLI

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 11: In their first international event after 14 years, New Road Team (NRT) are eager to make the AFC President´s Cup Group ´A´ qualifiers a memorable journey.

NRT will face Abahani Limited, the home team, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Wednesday.

It´s important for NRT to perform well in the match to keep up the morale and hopes high for the qualification to the final round. The hosts will be tough in their own turf, but NRT coach Yogambar Suwal rated the level of Bangladesh league champions on par with Nepal´s half-way league champions.

“However, we will be under pressure as they will have the home ground and crowd and the climate conditions too will be favorable for them,” Suwal said.

NRT is going on all-out campaign with aggressive formation of first-choice players. Captain and goalkeeper Surendra Shrestha will guard the post while Sagar Thapa, Biraj Maharjan, Umesh Uprety and Navin Neupane will take the charge of defence.

Laxman Ruchal, Rajesh Shahi and Ranjit Shrestha are the midfielders while Danish Shayan Mosavi, Nirajan Rayamajhi and Bijay Majhi will take the responsibility as strikers.

Coach Suwal said that his side will play for a win. “We must win tomorrow´s match to pave way for the final round,” Suwal said.

Coach Suwal rates his side as a balanced squad. However, NRT failed to repeat their first leg performance during the initial stage of the second leg of the ongoing domestic league.

“There were improvements in the later stage of the second leg. There were some problems with goalkeeper. But our midfield is strong and the forwards have the capacity to score at any time,” Suwal expressed his confidence.

Besides, much of the NRT´s performance will depend on how striker Mosavi performs. He has proved to be the best among more than a dozen foreign players in domestic league. So far, Mosavi has scored 13 goals from 18 matches.

On the other hand, Abahani is confident of making through the final round. Bangladeshi league champions Abahani will also present them as the strong contender. Six members of the national squad are included in Abahani team.

“Any of the participating team could be strong, but we will try to put up good performance and become a group winner,” stated Abahani manager Satyajeet Dasrup.

Dasrup, however, feels threat from Dordoi Bihkek of Kyrgyzstan, the five-time finalist and the two-time title holders.

NRT captain Shrestha said that NRT would anyhow make through the second round to save dignity of the nation. “We are fit in all departments of the game. We were concerned only over hot climate of Bangladesh, but we are happy to know that our match is scheduled late in the evening. We will utilize the chance of playing in the international tournament after one-and-a-half-decade.”

Along with the host, Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan, Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei and NRT are pitted in the group. The top two teams of the group will qualify for the final round of the tournament.

NRT´s International Participation

1985 Asian Club Championship Football (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

1996 Asian Club Championship Football (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

1996 Promise Cup (Maldives)

2010 AFC Presidents Cup (Dhaka, Bangladesh)

NRT off to Dhaka for AFC President's Cup

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 10: A 33-member New Road Team (NRT) football squad including 23 players left for Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Monday to participate in the AFC President’s Cup Group A qualifiers to be held from Wednesday.

The team headed by NRT general secretary Binay Pradhan includes eight officials and two journalists. Yogember Suwal and Diken Suwal are the coaches while club president Narendra Man Shrestha is the team manager and goalkeeper Surendra Shrestha is the captain of the squad.

NRT will play against Abahani Limited of Bangladesh on Wednesday, Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan on Friday and Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei on Sunday
At the farewell function, ANFA President Ganesh Thapa, who is also the president of the cup organizing committee, hinted at conducting the final rounds of the President’s Cup in Kathmandu if NRT made through to final round.

“If you succeed to qualify for the final round, I will try to hold the final round in Nepal,” Thapa said.

The first edition of the President’s Cup was held in Kathmandu in 2005. Thapa also expressed confidence that NRT would enter the second round. “NRT is a disciplined team and the management is also good. I am optimistic that it will make it to the second round.”

League winners of the third tire footballing nations of Asia take part in the President’s Cup. However, NRT got the chance to represent Nepal in the event as the first leg topper of the domestic league as it was halted for three years due to internal disputes in football.

Punishment for fixing

ANFA President Thapa has spoken for the first time regarding the rumor of match fixing. “It has been heard that there has been fixing among players. If so is the case we could conduct inquiry and the guilty could be punished for 4-5 years,” Thapa said. There has been rumor of match fixing during the last moment of the league to save team from relegation.

Squad for AFC President’s Cup

Goalkeepers: Surendra Shreshta (captain), Binod Dangol, Tulsi Baju
Defenders: Sagar Thapa, nabin Neupane, Biraj Maharjan, Umesh Uprety, Bimal Malla, Jeetan Karki, Dil Bahadur Tamang, Raju Thapamagar
Midfielders: Ranjit Shrestha, Rajesh Shahi, Jeevan Sinkeman, Roshan Lamichane, Khum Gurung, Subash Rai, laxman Ruchal, Subash Gurung, Roshan Lama
Strikers: Bijay Majhi, Nirajan Rayamajhi, Shayan Mosavi
Coaches: Yogember Suwal, Diken Suwal

Mosavi set to create history

RPRAJWAL OLI

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 8: For the first time in club football history of Nepal, a foreigner is all set to represent a Nepali club in an international football tournament. Shayan Mosavi, a Danish national, will be representing Nepal from New Road Team (NRT) in the AFC President´s Cup qualifiers to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from next week.

Mosavi, a key player of the NRT and one of the best strikers of the domestic football league is eager to repeat his rip-roaring performance in the President´s Cup.

Mosavi had an unforgettable role as a striker for NRT that qualified for the President´s Cup as the first leg toppers in the first division football that was stalled for three years due to internal disputes. Until the completion of 18th match of NRT, Mosavi stands second in the list of highest scorers with 13 goals under his belt.

Among more than a dozen foreigner footballers of various domestic clubs in the season, Mosavi has proved to be the best. He is one among two players to score double hat-trick in the ongoing league along with the highest scorer Santosh Sahukhala of Three Star with 17 goals under his belt.

The tournament carries a great significance for both Mosavi and NRT. Mosavi will be participating in an international tournament for the first time in his career while NRT will be vying in an international tournament after about a decade.

“I m really excited about the President´s Cup as it will be my first international football in career,” said Mosavi.

Mosavi, 19, arrived Nepal two years back with his six-member family, a year later after his father was transferred to Danish embassy in Nepal as the counselor of finance.

Mosavi, a 12th grade student of Lincoln School, played B division football from PSB, Copenhagen while he was in Denmark. Regarding his experience in the Nepal´s top flight football, he said, “It´s great fun and experience for me to play here. The game here is physically very tough.”

Apart from his friendly relations with his teammates, he has also many friends in other clubs like Nepal Police Club and Three Star Club. Mosavi came into the sight of NRT Coach Diken Suwal during the 5-A-Side football tournament organized about a year ago. “He displayed an impressive game in the tournament,” said Suwal who finds all the qualities in him to be a professional footballer. “Mosavi has got all the qualities to be a professional footballer, he is a good striker and has a great footballing sense,” Suwal added.

“Mosavi´s affiliation to the club has been a replacement of striker Anil Gurung, who is enrolled in Silong Lajong, a first division outfit of I-League,” Suwal said.
Regarding the President´s cup coach Suwal is optimistic that his side will throw a tough challenge against the other teams in the group A. However, he laments on the short preparation time for the President´s Cup.

“We were bound to prepare only within two weeks due to the ongoing league. Besides this, lack of enough time for recovery of injured players and hot climate could be a drawback for the team,” Suwal said.

NRT pitted in group A will play against Abahani Limited of Bangladesh on May 12, Dordoi Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan on 14 and Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei on May 16.

League champions of 17 countries, who are categorized under ´C-level´ of Asian Football Confederation, will vie for the President´s Cup title.


NRT´s participation in International Football

1985 Asian Club Championship Colombo, Sri Lanka
1996 Asian Club Championship New Delhi, India
1996 Promise Cup Maldives
2010 AFC President´s Cup Dhaka, Bangladesh

Road to Finals starts Sunday

Source: AFC

Kuala Lumpur 06 May 2010: The road to the Finals of the AFC President’s Cup starts on Sunday, May 9, when Group C sides Turkmenistan title holders ITTU and Bhutan’s Drukstars clash at the Youth Training Centre in the Myanmarese capital of Yangon.

Eleven clubs are vying for four spots in the tournament proper. The top clubs from each group and the best runner-up will advance to the Finals, which is scheduled to take place in September.

On May 10, the action shifts to the Aung Sun Stadium in Yangon where the Group B challenge gets underway. Nagacorp of Cambodia take on Pakistan’s Khan Laboratories in the first match while Tajik league winners Vakhsh lock horns with Sri Lanka’s Renown Sports Club.

Two days later, Group A gets kicking at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital.

Here, Kyrgyz champions Dordoi’s quest for a sixth consecutive final appearance starts against Hasus NTCPE of Chinese Taipei. The next match will see local favourites Abahani Limited go up against Nepali outfit New Road Team.

The AFC President’s Cup trophy has always remained with Central Asian teams since its inception in 2005. Tajik powerhouse Regar Tadaz won the inaugural edition before Dordoi scooped the title twice in 2006 and 2007. Regar, who didn’t qualify for this instalment, came back to win the next two editions.

AFC approves Yeody name change

Source: AFC

Kuala Lumpur 06 May 2010: AFC has approved Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA)’s request to change the name of AFC President’s Cup Group A hopefuls Yeody to Hasus NTCPE.

In a letter to the CTFA, AFC said the name change, in the 2010 AFC President’s Cup group stage, takes effect immediately.

Hasus NTCPE were placed in Group A along with hosts Abahani (Bangladesh), Dordoi (Kyrgyzstan) and New Road Team (Nepal). The Chinese Taipei outfit will begin their campaign in Dhaka against the two-time champions Dordoi on May 12.

The top clubs from each group and the best runner-up will advance to the 2010 AFC President’s Cup finals which is scheduled to take place in September.

AFC President’s Cup: Myanmar to host two groups

Source: AFC

Kuala Lumpur, 24 March 2010: Myanmar will host two groups of the AFC President’s Cup 2010 while Bangladesh will host the third as 11 teams will vie for the top honours in the continent’s third tier club competition.

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka will host the Group A matches from May 12 to 16 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium while both Group B and C will be played in Yangon, Myanmar.

Group B games will be played at Yangon’s Youth Training Centre and Aung San Stadium from May 10 to 14 while the Youth Training Centre will host the three-team Group C matches from May 9 to 13.

AFC has also reminded the participating clubs to submit the require documents for players and officials registration before the deadline of April 6, 2010.

The group champions and the best runners-up will qualify for the Finals which is scheduled to take place in September.

THE GROUPINGS

Group A (Dhaka, Bangladesh; May 12-16, 2010)

Dordoi (Kyrgyzstan)

Abahani (Bangladesh)

Yoedy (Chinese Taipei)

Nepal League Champions (TBC)

Group B (Yangon, Myanmar; May 10-14, 2010)

Vakhsh (Tajikistan)

Nagacorp (Cambodia)

Khan Research Laboratories (Pakistan)

Renown Sports Club (Sri Lanka)

Group C (Yangon, Myanmar; May 9-13, 2010)

Yadanarbon (Myanmar)

ITTU (Turkmenistan)

Drukstars (Bhutan)

AFC President’s Cup 2010: Registration window open

Source: AFC

Kuala Lumpur: The registration window for the AFC President's Cup 2010 Group Stage is now open.

In a letter sent to the Member Associations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, AFC has urged the club to submit the required documents before the deadline of April 6, 2010.

The regulations for the competition and the required documents and forms needed to complete the registration are available on the AFC official websitewww.the-afc.com with the following URL address:

http://images.the-afc.com/Documents/comps/regs/President_Cup_2010_Competitions_Regulations.pdf

Every participating team is allowed to register a minimum of 18 players and upto a maximum of 30 players, including two foreign players.

Two-time champions Dordoi from Kyrgyzstan will be vying for a third title.

The 11 teams, all domestic champions, are divided into three groups.

The group Champions and the best runners-up will qualify for the Finals which is scheduled to take place in September.

The group stage of the competition takes place at three venues in May.

The groupings

Group A

Dordoi (Kyrgyzstan)

Abahani (Bangladesh)

Yoedy (Chinese Taipei)

Nepal League Champions (TBC)

Group B

Vakhsh (Tajikistan)

Nagacorp (Cambodia)

Khan Research Laboratories (Pakistan)

Renown Sports Club (Sri Lanka)

Group C

Yadanarbon (Myanmar)

ITTU (Turkmenistan)

Drukstars (Bhutan)