Nepal will begin its SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship campaign today with a clash against Bhutan at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka. The match kicks off at 6:45 PM Nepali time.
This year’s SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship features four teams: Nepal, host Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. The tournament will follow a double round-robin league format, meaning each team will play the others twice.
Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, Nepal’s head coach Yam Prasad Gurung confidently stated that the team is aiming for nothing less than the title. “We are well-prepared. All teams are strong, but we’ve come here to win and we will,” said Gurung. He added that the performance of the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship squad would help build a strong foundation for the senior national team in the future.
Coach Gurung recalled Nepal’s narrow miss in the 2023 edition, where they lost the final to Bangladesh. He believes this year’s team has the chance to flip that result.
Nepal vs Bhutan today, followed by Bangladesh on July 13, Sri Lanka on July 15 and July 17, Bhutan again on July 19, and finally Bangladesh on July 21.
The SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship is also being seen as vital preparation for the upcoming AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, giving teams a competitive platform to gear up.
Nepali squad: Birsana Chaudhary (captain), Lila Joshi, Karun Budhathoki, Sujata Tamang, Sarita Kumari Nath, Maya Maske, Semihangma Limbu Pandhak, Simran Rai, Jhuma Bishwakarma,Ganga Rokaya, Anisha Rai, Sita Rokaya, Kabita Guring, Sushila KC, Asmita Gurung, Senu Pariyar, Kusum Khatiwada, Sukriya Miya, Manisha Sen, Barsha Oli, Purnima Rai, Meena Deuba, Samiskhya Magar.
