After the recent win by Nepal’s U-16 cricket team at the ACC U-16 Premier 2014, a league competition for Asia’s six top-ranked youth teams, it is now time to wish all the luck to the Nepali U-16 football team who will be leaving for Thailand for the AFC U-16 Championship on Wednesday (August 27, 2014).

The tournament, which is scheduled to kick off from September 6 and conclude on 20, 2014, will decide the top four teams who will qualify to play in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2015.

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) organised a farewell function for the team in Kathmandu on Monday (August 25, 2014).

The squad comprises goalkeepers Roman Rasaili and Srijan Shrestha while the mid-fielders are Hemant Thapa Magar, Kiran Sunar, Anil Rai, Sanjok Rai, Bikash Thapa, Ravi Bhandari, Jonom Man Ligal and Tejendra Pun.

Similarly, Aakash Thapa, Amit Tamang, Sudan Thapa, Dinesh Rajbanshi, Gaurav Budhathoki and Rupesh Tamang are the defenders in the team and the forwards include Bimal Gharti Magar, Anjan Bista, Sujit Gurung, Shiva Subedi and Sunil Bal.

Bal Gopal Maharjan is the head coach and Dinesh Byanjankar is the manager of the squad.

Nepal is among the 16 participating nations and has been categorized under Group C alongside Uzbekistan, Kuwait and North Korea. The teams are divided into four groups A, B, C and D.

Nepal will take on Uzbekistan in its inaugural match of the championship on September 7, Kuwait on September 9 and North Korea on September 11.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage.