Nepali men’s football team will be setting sights on historic victory and a place in the knock out stage of the Asian Games when they take on South Asian opponents Pakistan in their last Group ‘D’ match at the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium in Bekasi, Indonesia on Sunday.

Nepal have never tasted victory or even earned a point in their regional games’ last five participations that began from the 1982 edition in India. They have scored just one goal and conceded 65 goals in the 15 matches they played until 2014 Incheon Asian Games. But Nepal are looking forward to change the course of history in their sixth participation. Although Nepal have lost their last two matches — 1-0 against Japan on Tuesday and 2-0 against Vietnam on Thursday – in the four-team group, Nepal’s coach Bal Gopal Maharjan believes that his side still have chance of making it to the round of 16.

The top two teams from each of the six groups along with four best third-placed nations will qualify for the pre-quarterfinals. Vietnam and Japan, with two wins from as many matches, are already through. Both Nepal and Pakistan yet to open their account in the standings but still are in the contention for next stage as the best third placed teams. The winners among the two teams are likely to make into next stage but will also need results from other groups to go their way.

“Pakistan are not tough opponents as Japan and Vietnam. But we should not take them lightly since some players of the Pakistani squad plays professional football in Norway,” coach Maharjan, assistant of head coach Gyotoku Koji, said on the eve of team’s match against the South Asian opponents. “We must beat them and the team is confident of victory and breaking the long-time goal drought.” Nepal’s only goal in the Asian Games was scored by YB Ghale during the 1982 edition when the team had lost 3-1 to Kuwait.

According to Maharjan, Nepal will come up with a different strategy against Pakistan than they had against Japan and Vietnam. Nepal had chosen to play defensive game against mighty Japan and Vietnam. “We will go for attack and play total football against Pakistan. We have trained accordingly with the motive of victory,” he said.

Looking at the past records, the senior national teams of Nepal and Pakistan have played 14 times. Nepal have won five, lost four and drawn five of them. The last meeting between the two teams during 2013 Saff Championship group stage in Kathmandu had ended in a 1-1 draw. In the Fifa rankings, Nepal are placed in 161st position and Pakistan stand on 201st position. But the Asian Games men’s football tournament is an U-23 event which allows to field three over-aged players. Goalkeeper-cum-captain Kiran Chemjong, midfielder Bishal Rai and attacking defender Rohit Chand are the over-aged players in the Nepali squad.