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Kathmandu Monday June 12, 2000 Jestha 30, 2057.
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Nepal have uphill task against
Turkmenistan
By Suman Malla
KATHMANDU, June 11 - Following a seven-goal rampage on
Saturday over the Maldives, the mood of the Nepalese camp without doubt is upbeat going
into the match against Turkmenistan.
The Nepalese Youth team, on whom the national coach, Stephen
Constantine, and everyone else alike are pinning high hopes. However, everybody knows for
sure that unlike the diminutive South Asian counterpart, the lanky Turkmenistan would be a
different proposition.
And following yesterday’s matches, Constantine
comment-‘the boys have to be at their fullest potential’ came as no surprise.
Nepalese mid-fielders and forwards to be more creative up
front for winning the balls from gangling opposition always not only require a lot of
courage but also great skill. The midfielders, especially Navin Neupane and skipper Binod
Prajapati have to be suppler at the middle while Jibesh Pandey, who played so well against
Maldives, will have to repeat same sort of display or may be better.
And coach Constantine would definitely like to see the
strikers, Navin Thapa and Sachin Rai reduce the miss opportunities to the least as
Turkmenistan defense, who looked quite sloppy against their much stronger neighbours are
less likely to allow much room for them to operate on.
While captain Annaliev, Kakabaev and Gribkov would be hard
nut to crack at the back, Nepalese strikers need to be precise at goal to breach the safe
pair of hands of Kuznetsov under the Turkmenistan bars. Notwithstanding a few rare
mistakes, Kuznetsov, otherwise displayed superb goalkeeping against Uzbekistan.
But unquestionably, it is the defense where the Nepalese will
have to be extra cautious and can ill-afford any loopholes as there is every likelihood of
being tested by Turkmenistan strikers, Aynapetyan and Stepanov. After yesterday’s
loss, coach Klychmuradov would surely like to see his boys fire on all-cylinders.
That suggests Janak Singh, who put a bulldozing show against
Maldives has to be a source of strength in defense once again as well as double as an
additional shooter in the attack while Tilak Gurung will have to seal his keeper
containing the rival’s enterprise.
One can expect Constantine fielding the same winning
combination following Saturday’s comprehensive win, however, some eyebrows were
raised when he brought in Ritesh Khadka only in the second half.
Turkmenistan, too, except for couple of switches between the
sessions, any chance of they going for major changes from the one fielded against
Uzbekistan is remote.
With names of three players from each side already into
referee’s book, both the sides should avoid their respective players collecting
second one. As Nepal is taking on Uzbeks in their last outing, it is more important for
them to avoid facing that situation even if the result comes in their favour. |