Nepal player makes history in the defeat against Vietnam national team

Rohit Chand hit the mark of 100 caps for Nepal’s national team exactly in the 0-1 defeat against Vietnam.

Vietnam just concluded the October FIFA Days phase with a 1-0 win over Nepal in the second leg. This victory, however, could not fully satisfy fans as despite being heavily favored, Vietnam played rather sluggishly. For the Nepal players, losing by a narrow margin to Vietnam can be seen as a success.

Notably, in this match, veteran Rohit Chand made history for Nepal football by becoming the second player to reach 100 appearances for the national team. His 100th game coincided with the Vietnam vs Nepal match held on the evening of October 14 at Thong Nhat Stadium.

Rohit Chand also received a meaningful award on his 100th match for Nepal, being honored by the AFC as the best player. The experienced defensive midfielder said in the post-match press conference: "It has been a long journey for me; before today, I never imagined I would reach 100 games for Nepal against Vietnam."

However, Rohit Chand is not yet the player with the most appearances for Nepal’s national team. That record belongs to goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong with 106 caps for the South Asian representative. The goalkeeper also performed well in the two recent matches against Vietnam.

In fact, many Nepal players are currently without professional contracts. Rohit Chand is one such case; the veteran midfielder, once valued at 375,000 euros, has not found a new club since leaving Persik Kediri (Indonesia) in July. Goalkeeper Bishal Sunar has also been unemployed for over a year since departing Latipur City in February 2024.

Nepal’s squad still includes 12 players competing abroad, with 8 in Bangladesh, and 3 others playing in Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Maldives, along with forward Subash Thakuri in the Philippines. Notably, 35-year-old goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong, the captain with 107 international games, and 27-year-old striker Anjan Bista, who has scored 13 goals in 70 matches.