AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: India have been drawn to play against Nepal in the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. The draw was held at the AFC Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday (February 10).

The matches would be held on a home and away format with India first playing at home on March 12. The return leg is slated for March 17, 2015.

The match will be the first one for National Coach Stephen Constantine since he took over the job as Indian Senior Team’s National Coach for the second time.

Speaking exclusively to www.the-aiff.com, Indian National Coach Stephen Constantine mentioned that it will be a “difficult game.”

Constantine said: “It will be a very difficult game for us. Nepal are a good side. I think both Teams have respect for each other it won’t be easy.”

“I am looking forward to going back to Nepal. It has been a long time since I have been in the Himalayan Kingdom. But this time, it will be for pure business.”

As per the January2015 FIFA Rankings, India are ranked at 171 while Nepal are presently at 186. The last time the two Teams met in November 2013, India defeated Nepal 2-0 at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri.