Indian football team to play Nepal in international friendly on August 31

India will host Nepal in an international friendly in Pune on August 31

NEW DELHI: India are the first country to welcome Nepal back into international football post the series of earthquakes which struck the Himalayan Kingdom in April 2015. Come August 31, India will play Nepal in an international friendly at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. The match is slated to be played under the lights and will kick-off at 7 pm.

The Indian National Team would be based in Pune for the Preparatory Camp during the time. The National Team would then move to Bengaluru to play Asian powerhouses Iran in a Russia 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Preliminary Round 2 match on September 8.

Speaking exclusively to www.the-aiff.com, National Coach Stephen Constantine welcomed back Nepal into International Football, saying, “The Players would be coming after a layoff and the match would help us judge them ahead of our tough challenge against Iran which is slated on September 8,” he stated.

“Nepal are a tough opposition as was on display in Guwahati and Kathmandu and we are looking to welcome Nepal back to international football after the tragedy which struck the Himalayan Kingdom,” he added.

The last time the two teams met, India had beaten Nepal 2-0 on aggregate in the home and away Joint Qualification Round Match for the Russia 2018 World Cup. While India had won 2-0 at home in Guwahati, the away match in Kathmandu had ended goalless.