The spotlight is back on the women’s national football team of Nepal as they are all set to compete in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers,starting on June 29th in Tashkent,Uzbekistan.

Team Nepal is clubbed alongside Laos, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan in Group F.Let me remind
everyone that only one team from the group advances to the championship round.

This is yet another big opportunity for them to overcome the odds,make history and prove themselves.

The Nepali outfit starts the qualifiers with the opener against Laos on June 29th.

On paper they are strong favorites and tipped to win comfortably .

It is indispensable for them to get to a winning start in order to generate the much needed momentum for themselves.

They can’t afford to become carried away, mediocre at any point in the game, overconfident,take the result for granted and underestimate the opponent.They should not forget the fact that anything is possible in sports.

With that in mind, they have to translate high expectations into a winning performance. It requires consistency,commitment, confidence, positivity,solid collective effort,effective coordination, individual brilliance and ability to cash in on scoring opportunities.

They have to peak their performance ,rise to the occasion and display intense appetite for success to get the job done.

In the second match they take on Sri Lanka on July 2nd. Given the head to head history between the two sides, Nepal has been dominant ,winning all seven games. They must continue their dominance against them to secure full points and bolster their chances of qualifying to the next round.

In the third and decisive match,Nepal takes on the hosts and favorites Uzbekistan on July 5th. Forty nine spots separate the two sides in the latest FIFA World Rankings with Nepal at 100 and Uzbekistan 51.

Obviously,the real test for them will be against the formidable Uzbeki side,enjoying home field advantage.

They have to bring out their absolute best on all fronts of the game,stay laser focused, sharpen their coordination, fully capitalize on scoring opportunities ,play confidently,aggressively throughout and More importantly, when it comes to a crunch and vital match like this,they must avoid complacency when they are battling against a strong opposition to turn the tide in their favor.

Based on teams FIFA rankings, weaknesses and strengths,coupled with the latest international
performances, both Uzbekistan and Nepal are expected to get the better of Laos and Sri Lanka.
And it will come down to the Nepal vs Uzbekistan match to decide the group winner eventually.

Assuming that as predicted the two teams clash for the pivotal tie. Furthermore,should the
match end in a draw,goal difference will come into play to determine the winner .

Hence it is important for Nepal to maintain a healthy goal difference against Laos and Sri
Lanka.

The team under the new Head coach Belgian Patrick de Wilde features a blend of talented
seasoned and young prospects who are raring to go.

Custodian Anjila Tumbapo Subba captains the team deep in talent.She has to keep her
teammates motivated and get going all along.

The team will heavily depend on the experienced offensive trio of Sabitra Bhandari,Rekha
Poude and Rashmi Kumari Ghising alongside creative midfielder Preeti Rai for goals.

Of course, Nepal’s top scorer Bhandari who plays professional football in France is bound to
take the center stage once again.

The team will bank on her goal scoring ability. Hopefully she serves the team well by scoring
goals.

The defense led by Gita Rana has to be rock solid and must not be prone to unforced errors
.They have to demonstrate improvement,tactically and technically .

Team Nepal underwent rigorous training for the tourney. Early this year Nepal hosted the Vianet
International Women’s Championship featuring Myanmar ,Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Nepal.

Nepal beat two teams and drew with Myanmar in the single round-robin. However, they lost to
Myanmar in the final 0-2.

In the last leg of their preparation for the Asian Cup Qualifiers Nepal went down fighting to the
hosts Thailand in two friendly matches.Despite defeat, overall they put in a gritty and improved
performance.

They must learn from defeat and address their shortcomings, keep their heads up with lot of
positivity going into the AFC Qualifiers .

By Sushil Thapa, Fairfax,VA