In the kick off match, New Road Team thumped relegation-threatened Bauddha FC 4-1 with three goals coming from its African player. [break]
The result lifted unbeaten RCT one spot up to the summit of the table with 20 points after the eighth match, two points more than Three Star Club with a match advantage. Three Star could replace RCT from the top if it beats third placed Machhindra Club on Sunday.
RCT (Red) vs AFP. (Photo: Bikash Karki)
NRT progressed two spots up to fifth in the points table with equal 14 points as that of departmental team Nepal Army Club on the basis of head to head record. Bauddha with only one point is at the bottom of the table.
RCT´s African player Oladipo Olawala Afeez netted a brace including the opening and third goal to score his third goal of the league. Amar Dangol, sent off in the fading moments of match for second yellow card, netted the second goal taking his goals tally to seven, two behind highest scorer Santosh Sahukhala of Three Star.
APF that played with a man down following second yellow card to Sudip Shikrakar in the 58th minute got the consolation in the 90th minute through substitute Top Bahadur Bista. Bista, the 79th minute replacement of Nabin Lama, scored in custodian Dilip Chhetry´s rebounder off Arbind Chaudhary in a one-versus-one situation.
RCT (Red) vs AFP. (Photo: Bikash Karki)
RCT´s coach Madhu Karki was not satisfied with his team´s performance despite the comfortable win. "The performance was not on par after scoring the first goal. Despite playing with a man down opponent we came under pressure in the second half," commented Karki during the post match conference pointing lapses in midfield.
Karki also blamed the referee for making the yellow card cheap. "May be it is due to the three yellow cards provision for a match suspension."
Afeez put RCT ahead in the 19th minute in a through pass of Yugal Kishor Rai beating two defenders. Dangol doubled the advantage in the 83rd minute after brilliantly beating an offside trap and beating past goalie Gurung in one-on-one situation. Afeez widened the margin a minute later in his lone effort beating past two defenders and made a cool finish to send the ball into the net beyond diving custodian.
APF coach Janak Singh Tharu also blamed wrong decision of referee as one of the reasons for the defeat. "Though the performance was better we came under pressure after sending off of Shikrakhar."
Earlier, NRT´s Nigerian forward duo Akeen Oladimeji Babarurde netted twice and Sequn Akinade Eyitayo scored another in its comprehensive victory which also saw goal from its skipper Laxman Ruchal.
During the early moments after interval an inexperienced Bauddha have leveled the scoring 1-1 but later conceded three other goals. Babarurde opened the scoring in the 36th minute when he chipped in an advancing goalie Mahendra Shrestha.
But Bauddha equalized the score two minutes into the second half through Rajan Adhikari in Subin Shrestha pass. Bauddha´s joy could not last long as Eyitayo restored the lead in the 50th minute through penalty taking his goals tally to seven. The penalty was awarded after Ajit Bhandari fouled Babarurde in the area.
Skipper Ruchal made it 3-1 when he tapped in Eyitayo´s cross from the area. Babarurde sealed the victory seven minutes from time with a one-touch strike from the area in Asim Jung Karki´s pass.
Bauddha coach Kiran Shrestha opined that the penalty awarded to NRT became the turning point of the match. He was however hopeful that his team could still avoid relegation despite being at the bottom of the table with only seven matches remaining.
NRT coach Diken Suwal commented that he was able to field his set team for the first time following recovery of all his players. He however opined that his side lacked coordination and was not able to play with good understanding.
Sunday´s matches
Saraswati Vs Himalayan Sherpa @ 12:30 NST
Three Star VS Machhindra @ 14:30 NST
Related story
NRT and RCT play goalless draw
