Kathmandu, June 3 -- In early May, the Nepali national men's football team travelled to Manang for a six-day high-altitude training camp. The crisp air of the Himalayas was beneficial to the team, according to head coach Matt Ross. It wasn't just about altitude, he remarks, but also about attitude.

"Manang was a beautiful place," Ross said at a function by All Nepal Football Association organised on Monday to bid farewell to the team heading to Hong Kong for a friendly on Thursday. "The training went well and it yielded great results."

The team is flying to Hong Kong on Tuesday.

The Hong Kong friendly will be a preparation for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, where Nepal are facing Laos in the first leg of the Third Round on June 10....