KATHMANDU, Jan 5: The A-Division outfit Ruslan Three Star Club (TSC), which was deprived of participating in the AFC Cup playoffs, left for Dhangadhi on Thursday to take part in the Khaptad Gold Cup. 

TSC will make a comeback in football by participating in the Khaptad Gold Cup. The tournament, in which the winner will take home Rs 1.11 million, will start from Saturday at Dhangadhi Stadium. 

TSC’s general secretary Sanjeev Shilpakar informed that the team will be featuring skipper Bikram Lama, goalkeepers Alan Neupane, Abhishek Baral, Purna Chemjong, and defenders Peter Segun (African player), Ananta Tamang, Rejin Dhimal, Bijay Dhimal, Ashim Bhushal, Jeevan Gurung, and Nirajan Maharjan. Likewise, the midfielders Sunil Bal, Lawal (African player), Bishnu Gurung, and vice-captain Nirajan Khadka will also be part of the team. The forward line comprises of Bimal Gharti Magar, Buddha Chemjong, Martin, and Bishwas Shrestha. Megh Raj KC is the head coach of the team. 

Assistant coach Rabindra Silakar and goalkeeping coach Ujwal Manandhar will be assisting the head coach. The team manager is Mukesh Nakarmi. Krishna Karki and Rupendra Puri are the team officials, while Subhash FC is the physiotherapist of the team.

The TSC, which had qualified for the second round of the AFC Cup after finishing as the group winner in Mongolia in August, missed the opportunity to take part in the playoffs due to the negligence of Nepal’s football governing body ANFA.

The AFC had decided not to take in the TSC for the tournament as ANFA had failed to submit the first division club’s registration on time. 

The TSC had decided not to play any football tournament until ANFA gave them Rs 60 million in compensation. The club had recently settled for a compensation amount of Rs 15 million in a deal with ANFA reached under the aegis of National Sports Council.

 
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