Nepalese players lament losing home field advantage against Vietnam

“It was supposed to be a home game and we were playing away from home, so it was a challenge for us, but we had to give our best,” said Rohit Chand, a defender who has played 97 times for Nepal.

I have played Southeast Asian football for a long time. So I have a little understanding of Vietnamese football. I also understand a little about their playing style. We have prepared well. We will give 100% of our strength on the field"

Rohit Chand is the second most experienced player of the Nepal team in the gathering for the two matches against Vietnam. The 33-year-old midfielder has played in many countries, most recently Indonesia. He is only behind captain Kiran Chemjong (107) in terms of the number of appearances for the national team. These two players, like many other members of the Nepal team, must play abroad to pursue a professional career.

The reason is that the Nepal National Championship only lasts for 1 month. For example, the 2025 Super League season only lasts from March 29 to April 26. 7 teams will compete for 4 weeks to choose the champion. And this is only the 3rd time the tournament has been held. The fact that the players have too few opportunities to practice is a concern of coach Matt Ross.

The Nepal coach said at the departure ceremony: “The most recent match with Bangladesh was cancelled. That means I cannot check the readiness of all the players before going to Vietnam.”

Even on the flight to Ho Chi Minh City to play the two matches with the host on October 9 and 14, the Nepal team had to split their schedule because many members were busy playing in other countries. Captain Kiran Chemjong did not join the team in Nepal but flew directly from Bangladesh, where he is playing, to Vietnam. The other 8 members also traveled in a similar way.