Police is plagued by injury of most of its influential players while Army is in high moral after enrollment of inform Nepali international strike Bharat Khawas. In such a scenario, Army was expected to break the loosing jinx against departmental arch rival Police in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division Football League. But the result came in favor of Police that again gunned down Army 2-1 on Tuesday at the Dasharath Stadium with the winning side scoring both the goals through header. [break]
Yogesh Shrestha and Bhola Silwal had scored for Police while Bharat Khawas was on target for Army.
NPC players celebrate. (Photo: Bikash Karki)
The victory over Army also boosted champion Police´s changed target of finishing on top eight position and qualifying for super league after a miserable start in the league. "We were in relegation area but the win has fixed our eye for super eight finish," said Birat Krishna Shrestha who guided Police to the last four league titles including National League.
Police remaining unchanged maintained its firm grip at the mid table, eighth position with 12 points. Army also remained calm in sixth place with 14 points.
Army looked stronger against its departmental rival, dominated the ball possession and created frequent chances but failed in scoring line up. Army created as many as half a dozen of chances but succeeded in achieving target only one. Police created a couple of chances and utilized then all.
"What can I do, I can´t go myself to play. The boys waster a couple of cent percent sure chances," Army coach Yogamber Suwal mockingly said during the post match conference. "The three point loss will definitely be a big setback in the league as I have eyed no less than victory."
Nepal Police vs Nepal Army. (Photo: Bikash Karki)
As said by the coach Suwal, Army´s forward Deep Lama wasted two golden chances in the 58th and 86th minute. Lama was denied by custodian Ritesh Thapa on both occasions in one-on-one situation.
Apart from this Bharat Khawas strike during half an hour mark hit the woodwork and in 53rd minute Khawas powerful strike was denied by keeper Thapa. Similarly, Tanka Basnet´s well placed strike from 20-yard hit the upright after long stretching diving goalie Thapa got his hand of the ball.
Earlier, Yogesh Shrestha had given early 12th minute lead to Police through header. Shrestha had headed out of scuffle in corner taken by Dinesh Gurung. But Khawas had cancelled the lead five minutes later when he made a powerful strike to beat goalie Ritesh Thapa in one-on-one situation in a through pass of Raju Tamang. It was the seventh goal of Khawas, two behind highest scorer Santosh Sahukhala of Three Star.
The ball entered the net despite goalie Thapa getting hand on the ball. But Bhola Silwal, left unmarked, ensured full three points for Police in the 61st minute with a free header from six-yard box in Chetan Ghimire pass.
Sixth draw for Friends
In the late day´s drab affair, NIBL Friends earned fourth draw in a row and sixth in total out of nine matches played. Friends was held to 0-0 draw by NRT which got limited to 10-man in the 66th following straight red card to defender Kamal Shrestha.
Shrestha was sent off by referee Shrawan Lama after the last man stumbled Dodoz at the line of the area. NRT´s coach Diken Suwal expressed satisfaction for snatching point despite playing with a man down. "Friends was better today and our foreign players failed to put up the same level of performance as in the initial match."
Ramesh Maharjan, the assistant coach of Friends who got the full responsibility of coach since departure of Dil Kaji Gurung, opined that his side failed to grab opportunities despite creating them. Maharjan said that he had changed the strategy and fielded two foreign players as forward.
With the result, Friends moved one spot up to ninth with nine points while NRT remained steady in the fifth place with 15 points.
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