India to play Nepal in football friendly after Lebanon pullout

Lebanon was to play India on June 7 at Mumbai’s Andheri Sports Complex but the west Asian nation informed the All Indian Football Federation yesterday that its foreign-based players will not be able to come to Beirut to apply for visas

All Nepal Football Association said in a statement on its official website that it has agreed to play against India after an approach by the AIFF.

The Indian football team will play against Nepal in an international friendly in Mumbai on June 6 after Lebanon pulled out of the match due to visa issues.

Lebanon was to play India on June 7 at Mumbai’s Andheri Sports Complex but the west Asian nation informed the All Indian Football Federation yesterday that its foreign-based players will not be able to come to Beirut to apply for visas.

As per rules of Government of India, Lebanese citizens cannot get visas on arrival in India.

Nepal has agreed to fill the place of Lebanon and the match will be held at the same venue, but on June 6.

All Nepal Football Association said in a statement on its official website that it has agreed to play against India after an approach by the AIFF.

“The Nepal National men’s team will be playing an international friendly against India national team in Mumbai on June 6,” the statement said.

“The All India Football Federation approached the ANFA for the friendly. The friendly will be benefiting both the teams as they are preparing for the second matches of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers,” it added.

Nepal is playing against Yemen at home on June 13 in its AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers. India will be using the match against Nepal as a build-up for the crucial Asian Cup qualifying game against Kyrgyz Republic on June 13 in Bengaluru.

The last time the two sides met each other, India had beaten Nepal 4-1 in a South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship fixture in December 2015.