Church Boys United optimistic for faceoff with Bhutan’s Paro FC

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 10: Nepal’s Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League 2023 winner Church Boys United are optimistic about winning their preliminary stage match of the AFC Challenge League against Bhutan’s Paro FC on August 13.

The third-tier Continental men’s competition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will bring together 18 aspiring teams to contend for glory. Only two spots remain vacant for the Group Stage of the AFC Challenge League.

One of the two spots will be filled by the winner of the preliminary match between Church Boys United and Paro FC while the other will be decided by the match between Kyrgyz Republic’s FC Abdysh-Ata and Afghanistan’s Attack FC.

The Kathmandu-based Dasharath Stadium is hosting the match after getting permission from an inspection team of the AFC. 

With the win, Church Boys United will progress to the main League slated for October 26-November 2. “Our squad is balanced and prepared to challenge Paro FC and win,” said Bal Gopal Maharjan, head coach of Church Boys United, during a press conference in Satdobato on Friday.

Paro FC, on the other hand, is filled with a good number of talented foreigners including Japan’s Keisuke Honda. As per Paro FC’s website, the club has five Japanese players and three Serbian players in its senior men’s squad.

Also a former coach of Nepal’s national team, Maharjan stated that the club will have three foreign players in its 23-member squad preparing for the confrontation against Paro FC.

Led by captain Ananta Tamang, Church Boys United’s vice-captain is Arik Bista. Other players include Anjan Bista, Ayush Ghalan, Laken Limbu, Deep Karki, Tekendra Singh Thapa, Rembo Kumar Chaudhary, Sanjeev Bista, Tshering Lama, Sanish Shrestha, Saubhagya Rai, Santosh Khatri, Rohan Karki, Bibek Poudel, Niraj Chaudhary, Ekraj Budhathoki, Yogesh Gurung, Manish Kumar Jargha and Aditya Shakya. 

Similarly, Omolaja Nurain Kareem of Nigeria, Peter Banda of Zambia and Moyes Gyaba Twam of Ghana are the three foreign players in the club.

The match between the league winners of Nepal and Bhutan will kick off at 6 pm Nepali time.