Nepal began their Bangabandhu Gold Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Malaysian top tier Felda United at the Shama-Ul-Huda Stadium in Jessore, Bangladesh on Saturday. 

The entertaining encounter saw both sides creating equal opportunities to score but both failed a proper attack at frame. The result meant both teams earned one point each in Group ‘B’ that also includes hosts Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Nepal will now play Bangladesh on Tuesday before taking on Sri Lanka on Thursday. Bangladesh, who defeated Sri Lanka 4-2 in the other match of the day, lead the table with three points.

In absence of head coach Patrick Aussems, Bal Gopal Maharjan was guiding Nepali squad for the first time and it gave him ample opportunity to test the young squad that didn’t have 10 members from the team that competed in the recently concluded Saff Championship. Stand-in skipper Biraj Maharjan led the defense line with experienced Rabin Shrestha along with young Ananta Tamang and Aditya Chaudhary. 

Maharjan fielded Bikram Lama, Heman Gurung, Jagjeet Shrestha and Anjan Bista at midfield with Bimal Gharti Magar and Nawayug Shrestha forging the attacking line. Gharti Magar had ended Nepal’s 27-month goal drought scoring against India in their 4-1 loss in Trivandrum during the Saff Championship 

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 but failed to make any impact in the game against Felda. 

While Nepal are making their first appearance in 

the Bangbandhu Gold Cup after 17 years, Felda-fifth 

place finishers in last season’s Malaysia Super League-are taking the tournament 

as preparation for the new football season.