AFC Challenge Cup: ANFA to use floodlights in AFC Challenge Cup games

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Created on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 15:08

21 Feb 2012

Himalayan News Service

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) said it will host few matches of the AFC Challenge Cup finals under floodlights. 

The AFC Challenge Cup finals will be held here at the Dasharath Stadium and APF Headquarter in Halchowk from March 8-19. ANFA president Ganesh Thapa said few matches at the Dasharath Stadium will be played under floodlights.

“The maintenance work of the lights will be over by February 29 and if everything goes as planned then we will certainly hold few matches under floodlights,” said Thapa. 

A Chinese technical team is currently working on the maintenance of the floodlights. Thapa, however, said it will be a day-night match with the floodlights to be lit on gradually after second half.

“As the power cut is still in effect, we can’t take any risks. We have a back-up generator which lasts for five hours and after the first half we will use the floodlights with back-up,” Thapa added. 

The AFC Challenge Cup finals will be the first tournament to be played under floodlights after the Dasharath Stadium last hosted 2005 AFC President’s Cup when Three Star Club represented the home team. It will cost the Chinese government around Rs 60 million in total for the maintenance of floodlights and setting up a back-up generator. According to Thapa the Chinese government is providing the support as grant assistance to the Nepali government.

The Dasharath Stadium will host six group stage matches and the final, while the semi-finals’ venues are yet to be confirmed. Thapa said ANFA is considering to play out both the semi-finals at the Dasharath Stadium. The Challenge Cup finals will see eight teams — Nepal, India, Maldives, Turkmenistan, North Korea, Philippines and Palestine — vying for the only available berth for the Asian Cup. 

Photo: Shabda Shrestha