Hosts Sahara plan to field foreign players

POKHARA, Jan 15: The hosts Sahara Football Club are planning to field foreign players in their squad in the Ninth Aaha Gold Cup Football Tournament scheduled to begin from Tuesday at the Pokhara Stadium. Sahara are drawn against Dharan Football Club in the opener.



According to Sahara President Bikram Thakali, they decided to include foreign players to make the squad competent.[break]



 "We are trying to bring in three foreign players currently playing in Kolkata, India. We wish to put up a good show as the hosts to please local fans and to strengthen our position in the tournament," Thakali said during a press meet organized to inform about the preparations for the tournament.



Altogether 12 teams are participating in this edition of one of the prestigious tournaments of the mofussil. The teams include the hosts, defending champions Nepal Police Club, Manang Marshyangdi Club, ANFA U-19 team, Nepal Army Club, Himalayan Sherpa Club, Armed Police Force, Three Star Club, Rupandehi-XI, Denzong Boys of Sikkim, India, and Sahara FC of the UK.



The participating teams will also be provided match money for the first time in the tournament´s history. The winning and losing teams of each match will be given Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively. The two losing semifinalists will be last teams to get match money.



The winners and the runners-up will bag a purse of Rs 200,000 and Rs 100,000. Likewise, the best player of the tournament will get a Yamaha motorcycle, while the best players in four different positions--goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward-- and the best coach will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each. The highest scorer will receive a cash prize of Rs 15,000.

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