Hamza Adds Thrill to Nepal’s Visit, Bangladesh Ready for the Challenge

Tonight at 8 PM, Bangladesh and Nepal will face off at the National Stadium in Dhaka. While it is a FIFA-friendly match, it holds significant importance for both teams. For Bangladesh, it serves as preparation ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers against India on November 18, while for Nepal, it is an exciting moment as they get to play against Hamza Chowdhury, the English Premier League star, for the first time.

Nepal’s captain Kiran Chemjong, who plays for Bangladesh Police FC in the domestic league, couldn’t hide his excitement during a press conference yesterday. “In the match in Kathmandu in September, we didn’t have Hamza in the Bangladesh squad. Now, coming to Dhaka, we’ll have the chance to play against him, and the whole team is very excited,” he said.

This time, Nepal’s squad includes eight players who are currently playing in Bangladesh’s domestic football. The team’s coach, Hari Khadka, who himself played several seasons for Brothers Union in Bangladesh, acknowledged the increased strength of Bangladesh with the addition of Hamza and Shomit. “Football is not a game of one player. We are prepared and have planned around Hamza,” he said.

Bangladesh last defeated Nepal exactly five years ago on November 13, 2020. The last encounter between the two teams in Kathmandu in September ended in a draw. Now, the hunger for victory is clear in the voice of Jamal Bhuiyan, who said, “We have to win against Nepal. We came close in the last two matches, but this time the goal is victory.”

However, the biggest discussion before the match revolves around Hamza Chowdhury and the return of Samit Som from Canada. Coach Javier Cabrera stated that Samit’s participation will be decided at the last moment, and Sheikh Morceline, who is recovering from injury, will also be monitored.

Cabrera added, “The Nepal match will be an opportunity for us to test ourselves before the India game. A win will boost our confidence.”