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Nepal and Afghanistan begin their preparations for the 2023 Asia Cup qualifiers in June with a pair of friendlies against each other in Qatar, starting this Wednesday.
Both teams are hoping for their maiden qualification in the tournament.
The Gorkhalis are drawn in Group A alongside Jordan, Kuwait and Indonesia for the Kuwait showpiece, all of whom rank above them in the world.
Abdullah Al Mutairi's side have had a decent 2022 so far, winning a pair of friendlies against Mauritius in January followed by a 2-0 defeat to Thailand.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have been paired with India, Hong Kong and Cambodia for the qualifiers and will look to build on a strong 2021.
Nepal vs Afghanistan Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- There have been six previous clashes between the sides, with Nepal winning exactly half of those and losing just once
- That loss came in their last meeting with the Lions of Khorasan - a 1-0 defeat in the South Asian Football Federation Championship in September 2013
- Nepal have failed to score in their last two matches against Afghanistan
- After defeats in their last two matches, the Gorkhalis could go three games without a win for the first time since a run of five between November 2019 and November 2020
- Having beaten Indonesia 1-0 in their last game, Afghanistan could record back-to-back wins for the first time since a run of five between November to December 2015
- The Lions of Khorasan have lost just once in their last six games in all competitions
- Afghanistan have scored just one goal in each of their last five games
- The last time Nepal struck more than one goal in a match was in their 3-2 win over Sri Lanka at the SAFF Championship in October 2021
Nepal vs Afghanistan Prediction
Afghanistan come into the clash in a better run of form and could give Nepal a serious run for their money.
Given the lack of genuine quality in their ranks, and the fact that it's only an international friendly, there could be minimal goal-mouth action, but we expect the Lions of Khorasan to prevail with the slimmest of margins.
Prediction: Nepal 0-1 Afghanistan
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Nepal vs Afghanistan Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Afghanistan
Tip 2 - Goals over/under 2.5: under 2.5
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: No
