Nepal are set to take on Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday as the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers resumes, with the national team hoping to revive their campaign after back-to-back defeats.

The two sides meet at Go Dau Stadium in the first of their double-header fixtures, with the return leg scheduled for October 14. Nepal, who lost 2-0 to Malaysia and 2-1 to Laos, sit bottom of Group F after two matches, while hosts Vietnam are second behind Malaysia.

Nepal’s defeat against Laos—a team they had never before lost to—was particularly disappointing. Yet head coach Matt Ross insists his side, which left for Vietnam on Tuesday, are determined to respond.

“This preparation has been quite different,” Ross said at the farewell function organised by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) in Lalitpur on Monday. “Many of our players are now playing professionally in Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Cambodia, and they bring that experience into the squad. We’ve trained well and are confident going into these matches.”

The upcoming matches will also see Nepal play their ‘home’ leg abroad, as the Dasharath Stadium has been ruled unfit to host AFC and FIFA fixtures. The decision has disappointed the team, who feel they are missing out on the advantage of home support.

Vietnam: A formidable opponent

Vietnam have emerged as one of Asia’s most consistent performers in recent years. Once strong in the 1960s before declining, their football has resurged in the 21st century, qualifying for two Asian Cups and becoming a regional powerhouse. They are the reigning ASEAN Championship 2024 winners and have claimed the regional title three times.

Nepal and Vietnam have met only twice before—both during the 2003 Asian Cup Qualifiers—which ended in 5-0 and 2-0 defeats for Nepal. Twenty-two years later, Nepal will face the same opponents, hoping to turn the tide.

Talking to journalists after the farewell function, midfielder Rohit Chand, the seniormost player in the Nepali squad, said the team is aware of the challenge. “Vietnam are strong, and they play a fast, organised game,” Chand said. “But we’ve studied them well and prepared accordingly. We’ll give everything on the field.”

Further, head coach Ross has stressed that the upcoming two fixtures matter more. “As the cricket team has given happiness to the Nepali people amidst a difficult period in the country,” Ross said on Monday, adding, “the football team also aims to do the same.”

Twist with FIFA’s action against Malaysia

Nepal’s 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification campaign has taken an unexpected twist. Despite sitting at bottom of Group F after two defeats, the national football team may still find itself back in contention due to a potential disciplinary action against Malaysia for fielding ineligible players.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players—Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano—for breaches of article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) concerning forgery and falsification,” FIFA stated on September 26.

According to the governing body of world football, it received a complaint regarding the eligibility of the seven players who were fielded against Vietnam on June 10.

The FAM has been fined CHF 350,000 while the players have been fined CHF 2,000 alongside a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities. A further action, the deduction of points in the qualifiers, is still possible, and if it happens, Nepal will benefit a lot.

Meanwhile, the FAM, on Tuesday, said that it would appeal against FIFA sanctions after being accused of cheating.

“Claims that the players acquired or were aware of fake documents are baseless as no solid evidence has been presented so far,” the FAM said. “FAM would like to assert that the heritage players involved are legitimate Malaysian citizens.”

“Official appeal is now being prepared using original documents that are valid and certified by the Malaysian government. FAM will be presenting an official appeal regarding this conclusion, and remain committed to defending the integrity of national football based on facts and authentic documents,” the FAM stated.