The departmental team netted four goals in the last 12 minutes after the FWFC, studded with majority of U-19 players, was restricted to 10-players following the sending off of Tej Tamang in the 69th minute. FWFC key players -- striker Bimal Gharti Magar and defender Ananta Tamang -- were also forced to leave the pitch to second half owing to injuries. Altogether eight members of the U-19 national squad that returned from Iran on Thursday, featuring in the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers, were in the starting list of FWFC and two came in as substitutes.
FWFC coach Kiran Shrestha pointed out exhaustion of his players as the major cause of big margin defeat. "The boys returned from Iran yesterday (Thursday) and we cannot expect tough performance just after a day. They tried their best but we lost some of the key players due to injury and early (second half) red card became the turning point," Shrestha said.
The win lifted Army to first place from third in the standings replacing Three Star and Manang Marshyangdi Club from top two spots. Army has 27 points followed by 26 points of Three Star and 25 points of Manang. Three Star and Manang, however, have a match advantage over the departmental team. Army could confirm second place finish if it wins remaining two fixtures against Lumbini and Nepal Police Club.
The departmental team could still lift champions trophy in the condition it wins remaining matches and top two teams lose points in one out of remaining three matches. Both Three Star and MMC are scheduled to play tough opponent in comparison to Army in remaining fixtures. Three Star is yet to take on Jhapa XI FC, APF and MMC similarly MMC will take on Morang, Police and Three Star before it wraps up the league campaign.
On Friday Army was made to wait until 35th minute to break the deadlock. Skipper Bharat Khawas opened the scoring after he flicked Hiranya Magar's cross. Winger Tanka Basnet doubled the advantage four minutes later after he collected acute pass from Bharat and sprinted with the ball to place it beyond the reach of diving goalie Birendra Bahadur Chand.
Deep Lama made it 3-0 four minutes into second half and Tek Bahadur Budathoki achieved target in the 79th, 10 minutes after Tej Tamang of FWFC was sent off after facing a second yellow. It was Tek's seventh goal in the league campaign.
Veteran midfielder Raju Tamang opened his scoring in the league in the 82nd after he collected ball parried by goalie Birendra off Nawayug's strike. Nawayug netted last two goals in the 85th and 88th minutes. He netted his second individual goal from the spot after FWFC's Ravi Bhandari stumbled Deepak Gurung inside the area. With his two goals, Nawayug took his scoring tally to 11 goals, one goal behind highest scorer Karna Limbu of APF.
Army coach Meghraj KC expressed satisfaction with the outcome and dedicated the win to Samsung Mobile, the sponsor departmental team signed on Thursday. "We held the advantage over exhausted U-19 squad on the pitch. Majority of the players played three international matches in six days and the level of performance after hectic schedule and long travel was certainly low," KC told at the post match conference.
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