KATHMANDU, Oct 7 - Nepal will take on Oman in the first leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Muscat on Monday and Nepal as always is expecting the unexpected while playing Oman. 

There are two clear reasons for this. The first one is that Nepal always gives everything while playing against Oman and the other is the long awaited return of Nirajan Rayamajhi in the forward line. 

Seven matches have been played between Nepal and Oman. Even though, Nepal has faced defeat in every single match but the matches have gone mighty close and Nepal has given Oman a hard run for its money.

 Nepal narrowly went down 1-0 to Oman in the 1994 Asian Games and again lost by the same scoreline in the World Cup qualifiers in 1996. Nepal lost 1-2 the same year in the qualifier of Asian Football Championship with Hari Khadka scoring the lone goal for Nepal.

Nirajan is playing his first international match in four years and he is the only player to have scored goal in every international tournament he has played. It will be a happy journey for Nepal if he continues his amazing streak. He is also on the verge of becoming the country's leading scorer, only one behind the leader Hari Khadka who leads the chart with 13 goals. Nirajan has a great record in the qualifiers and has found the back of the net seven times, which includes that famous hat trick against Macau.         

Nepali squad trained in a pitch near the stadium on Sunday. The team trained well under head coach Shyam Thapa and his assistants Bal Gopal Maharjan and Upendra Man Singh. Nepal will play with a rather defensive 4-5-1 formation which is so often used by weaker teams against stronger opponents, informed Sports Journalist of Soccerage Nepal Upendra Shrestha.

Coach Shyam Thapa expects a strong and brave showing from his players. Rakesh Shrestha will captain the national team for the first time while Sanjiv Budhathoki will get his first cap on Monday. Nepali team reached the Omani capital Muscat Saturday evening and is staying in the Radisson Hotel.