Australia’s Matt Ross made a flying start as the head coach of Nepal’s men’s senior team as his side defeated Singapore in a friendly on March 21. Ross now has a bigger challenge ahead of him: Malaysia.

Nepal are facing the Southeast Asian country on Tuesday at the Johor-based Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in the first leg of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers’ third round.

Nepal are in Group F with Malaysia, Laos and Vietnam in the third round. After the first leg with Malaysia, Nepal face Laos and Vietnam on June 10 and October 9, respectively, before the second leg commences.

“I want to stay possibly for a longer time here, but I need to show that I deserve it,” Ross said to journalists when he was revealed as the head coach by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) on March 3.

He showed hope when his side defeated Singapore in his first international game. It was Nepal’s first-ever win over Singapore as the two sides were meeting after 36 years.

Nonetheless, it will not be easy for Ross’ squad against Malaysia.

Nepal rank 175th in FIFA Men’s Ranking while Singapore and Malaysia rank 160th and 132nd, respectively.

“We will not be intimidated by the difference in rank,” Ross said in the farewell for the national team last week. And when he talked to journalists at the pre-match conference in Malaysia on Tuesday, Ross said his team would be looking for a win.

“If you play for one, you get zero,” Ross said when asked if Nepal would be happy with a draw against Malaysia. “So we will play for three, and if it becomes one, we can be satisfied.”

He added, “But we don’t play for draws. I make the game plan…to win.”

If Nepal succeed in defeating Malaysia in their home, it will be their first win over Malaysia. In the last four games, Nepal have lost thrice while drawing once with Malaysia.

Furthermore, Nepal have only scored one goal against Malaysia while conceding 10. The only goal came when Nepal and Malaysia played a friendly on March 15 last year. Nepal lost it 1-4.

“We are ready and excited to play Malaysia in front of their home crowd,” confident Kiran Chemjong, Nepal’s skipper, replied when asked about Nepal’s plan for the game.

But when we look at Malaysia’s previous game, which was against Singapore on December 20 last year, the two teams played a goalless draw. A result that raises Nepal’s hope of a historic win over Malaysia on March 25.

The win could establish Ross as the coach with the ability to take Nepali men’s football to new heights.