KATHMANDU, Jan 15: Three Star Club defeated champion Nepal Police Club 2-0 for the first time in the league since 2061 BS on Tuesday and moved three points clear at the top of the table in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division Football.
Three Star netted both the goals after the interval to pile pressure on the departmental giant for a place in the Super Eight. [break]A goal from Nigerian midfielder Abio Dun Ibrahim and an own goal by defender Suman Subedi secured the elusive win for the Lalitpur-based team backed by a huge number of supporters at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.
Three Star´s last league victory over Police was during the first leg of 2061 BS. Coincidentally, Three Star had defeated Police 2-0 then too while the second leg had ended in a goalless draw during the last match of the league. Police needed a win to lift the title while a draw was sufficient for Three Star to claim the champion´s trophy.
Three Star players celebrate. (Photo: Bijay Rai)
At the end of round 13, Three Star, which climbed one spot with its ninth win, has 29 points while Police remained unchanged in the ninth place with 19 points. It was the fourth defeat for the departmental team, which has won the last three editions of the league.
"We are in the most difficult situation compared to other contenders for the top eight positions," Police coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said during the post-match conference. Police will meet fourth-placed MMC and relegation struggler Jawalakhel in the remaining two matches of the league.
Ibrahim broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half when he hit a low shot from the area in a short pass from Bikram Limbu to send the ball beyod the reach of diving Police custodian Ritesh Thapa.
Police was under consistent pressure in the second half and things turned worse after its defender Suman Subedi scored an own goal while trying to stop Victor´s shot that was heading toward an empty net.
Playing without its influential players Parbat Pandey and Rabin Shrestha, who were serving a one-match suspension, Police could not threaten the opposition even once during the second half. On the half-hour mark, Police skipper Jumanu Rai´s low strike from the edge was off the target.
Three Star intensified its attack from the beginning and its first attempt on goal came in the second minute through Adewumi Femi but was denied by custodian Thapa. In the 28th minute Bijay Gurung missed a chance in an open net. Skipper Santosh Sahukhala played a selfish game and wasted a couple of chances in the first half with wayward shots. In the 76th minute, Sahukhala´s free header in Bijay Dhimal´s freekick went inches above the bar.
Police coach Shrestha lamented the absence of his key players and injuries. He said the first goal was the turning point of the match.
Three Star coach Pradip Humagain praised his team´s performance. "The boys came up with a good team effort and gave their hundred percent." Asked about his side´s three-point lead Baniya said, "If they put the same level of effort in future as well, I am confident of maintaining the lead."
Himalayan Sherpa almost safe
Yeti Airlines Himalayan Sherpa Club is almost safe from relegation after a hard fought 2-1 win over another relegation battler Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club that played with a man down for the last 35 minutes following the sending off of defender Ajay Thapa Magar. FIFA referee Laba Khatri flashed yellow cards to Thapa Magar in the 39th and 55th minutes.
Jas Bahadur Rai and Dhiroj Tamang scored in the first half for Sherpa while African player Thomas Wangira Biket pulled one back for Jawalakhel after the interval.
Sherpa climbed two spots to 11th position after its fifth victory, six points ahead of relegation dweller Madhyapur that lies in the 14th place with two matches to go. Jawalakhel also lies in the relegation zone, 14th place, with as many points.
In the last edition of the Martyrs League, Jawalakhel had finished third and Sherpa fifth while in the National League Sherpa had finished second and Jawalakhel fourth.
"I was confident since the early stages that Sherpa would not be relegated," said Sherpa coach Meghraj KC, also a former coach of Jawalakhel, after his side´s victory.
Rai, who was left unmarked in the area, guided the ball toward the net from the six-yard box in the fifth minute and Tamang doubled the advantage with a solo effort when he unleashed a powerful strike from the right side of the area in the 29th minute.
The Kenyan recruit for Jawalakhel struck home from the area in the 52nd minute to cut the goal deficit. But Jawalakhel´s bid to find the equalizer could not materialize.
Despite playing with a man down, Jawalakhel piled pressure and over half-a-dozen attempts on goal. Jawalakhel´s attempts -- first through Raj Kumar KC and then Suraj Thing -- were denied by the woodwork in either half.
Jawalakhel coach Kishor KC said his side was in an easy position to avoid relegation as it could be safe if it earns a point from the next two matches. Jawalakhel is scheduled to play against Madhyapur and Nepal Police Club in its remaining matches.
Wednesday´s matches
NRT Vs APF @ 12:30 NST
RCT Vs Saraswati @ 14:30 NST
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