Three Star Club set to play friendly match against APF

The national football league defending champions Ruslan Three Star Club are all set to play a friendly match against  APF Club on August 5 at the ANFA Complex grounds in Lalitpur.

Three Star are currently preparing for the qualifying play-off for the AFC Cup 2017. The play-off is scheduled for August 21 to 25.

The National League champion is flying to Mongolia on August 16.

Three Star will face Mongolian league winner Erchim FC and Cambodian league runner-up Nagaworld FC. Nagaworld got a change to represent Cambodia in the tournament after league champion Phnom Penh Crown Football Club was punished by Cambodia FA for match fixing.

Nepali league champion is playing the play-off of AFC Cup, a second-tier Asian club football championship, for the first time after the AFC scrapped the third-tier Presidents Cup.

Head coach Megh Raj KC has expressed his satisfaction over the preparation of Three Star. “We have been training since the last three weeks, so the preparation has gone well,” said KC.

Although the club has announced 20-member squad, it is likely to take only 18 players to Mongolia. “Mongolia is an expensive country, thus we are planning to take only 18 players,” informed the coach.

Coach KC also said that their two opponents play ‘power game’ so they are training accordingly. “Both Mongolian and Cambodian clubs play power game so we have formed our team and trained accordingly,” added the coach.

Three Star’s target is to top the group and qualify for the next round, according to KC. “Cambodia and Mongolia both are similar to our level. So we expect to make it to the next round by topping the group,” said KC with confidence.

Three Star will face Erchim on August 21 and Nagaworld on August 23.

Earlier, Nepali teams had played the AFC President’s Cup, however the Asian Football Confederation merged it with the AFC Cup. Three Star had entered in the finals of President’s Cup for twice. Currently, head coach Meghraj KC and Rabindra Shilakar are conducting the training for the play-off as the Three Star have 18-member squad.

Goalkeepers: Alan Neupane, Binay Shrestha, Abhisek Baral

Defenders: Ranjit Dhimal, Devendra Tamang, Peter Segun, Bijaya Dhimal, Saroj Dahal, Bishnu Sunuwar

Midfielders:Bikram Lama, Nirajan Khadka (C), Prakash Budathoki, Sunil Bal, Bijay Gurung, Bishnu Gurung

Forwards:Buddha Chemjong, Asim Jung Karki, Roshan Malla, Martins Kayade Ajaayi, Susan Shrestha

Head Coach: Megh Raj KC

Assistant Coach: Rabinda Shilakar