Nepal appoints Hari Khadka, awaiting the verdict in the 3-0 Malaysia case.
Coach Matt Ross resigned after two defeats against Vietnam, 1-3 and 0-1. ANFA appointed Hari Khadka to lead the Nepal national team for the remainder of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, while awaiting a decision on the possibility of awarding a 3-0 victory to Malaysia.
The Nepal national team has just undergone a major upheaval: Head coach Matt Ross resigned after the October matches, and the Nepal Football Association (ANFA) immediately appointed former national team player Hari Khadka for the remainder of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Simultaneously, ANFA is awaiting a ruling regarding the possibility of being awarded a 3-0 victory over Malaysia following the ineligibility of midfielder Hector Hevel to play.
Changes on the Nepal national team's coaching bench.
Following two defeats, 1-3 and 0-1, against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in October, head coach Matt Ross submitted his resignation. Despite being considered significantly weaker, Nepal delivered commendable performances against Vietnam in both matches, but those results also ended their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
Immediately after Ross left his position, ANFA appointed former national team player Hari Khadka as the head coach of the Nepal national team. Mr. Khadka previously served as Technical Director at ANFA and is a former head coach of the national women's football team. His task is to lead Nepal in the remainder of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
The Hector Hevel case complaint and the 3-0 scenario against Malaysia.
ANFA filed a complaint with FIFA after Malaysia's 2-0 victory over Nepal at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on March 25th in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, when midfielder Hector Hevel – who scored one of the two goals – was deemed ineligible to play.
Similar to the Vietnamese national team, Nepal is awaiting the possibility of being awarded a 3-0 victory over Malaysia. At this point, FIFA's initial penalty only annulled the result of Malaysia's 4-0 win against Vietnam in June, therefore ANFA is requesting a review of the Malaysia-Nepal match.
The final decision rests with the AFC. After their appeal to FIFA failed, Malaysia took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). If CAS still rules that Malaysia's naturalization was illegal, Nepal and Vietnam will certainly be awarded a 3-0 victory over Malaysia.
Key developments and noteworthy figures
- October: Nepal lost to Vietnam 1-3 and 0-1 in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers; their performance was commendable despite the unfavorable results.
- On March 25th at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium: Malaysia 2-0 Nepal; Hector Hevel scored one of the two goals, but was later deemed ineligible to play by FIFA.
- ANFA has appointed Hari Khadka (a former national team player, former ANFA Technical Director, and head coach of the women's team) as the head coach of the national team for the remainder of the qualifying rounds.
- FIFA has annulled the 4-0 result between Malaysia and Vietnam (June); AFC/CAS will decide on the Malaysia-Nepal match, with a 3-0 victory being anticipated.
Impact on the qualifying campaign
From a professional standpoint, Nepal enters this transitional period with a spirit already tested in their two matches against Vietnam. Stabilizing the coaching staff with someone knowledgeable about Nepalese football like Hari Khadka provides the team with a solid foundation for the remainder of the qualifiers. From a legal perspective, the ruling regarding the Malaysia-Nepal match will reshape the outcome, but everything still awaits the final decision from the AFC and CAS.
