Defending champion Mega Three Star Club scored all goals in the last 20 minutes as it came from a goal down to beat Armed Police Club 4-1 and book a place in the semi-final.[break]
All five goals of the match were superb, and were argubly as classy and beautiful as those scored in international matches which urban Nepali football aficionados are used to watching on television. Equally controversial was the decision of referee Bikash Mahata whose decisions allegedly favored big name Three Star and turned the game.
In a dramatic match, Nepali international Santosh Sahukhala netted twice while skipper Bishan Gauchan and Bikram Lama also hit the target against the departmental team which was reduced to 10-men in the 73rd minute.
APF´s lead on the half hour mark through Rajendra Rawal was a stunner. Rawal headed from the area that completely caught national goalie Kiran Chemjong off guard, and left him unable to judge the direction and flight of the ball. The goal came on a pass from skipper Kumar Thapa.
Three minutes before Sahukhala leveled the score in 71st minute, APF appeared on course of doubling score. But striker Ganesh Lawati was fouled by last defender Bijay Dhimal just inside the area. Referee Mahat did not seem to notice it but assistant referee Rojen Shrestha raised his flag signaling the foul. Though Lawati was brought down inside the area referee Mahat awarded the freekick from outside the box and did not bother to card him.
"The foul was worthy of a card," said Meghraj KC, the coach of Three Star during the post match conference. KC however denied the foul was committee inside the area.
The tide turned and Sahukhala tapped in from the six yard box to cancel the lead in an acute cross from defender Biraj Maharjan. Sahukhala made it 2-1 through a controversial penalty after Bishnu Gurung was fouled in the area by Krishna Lama in the 73rd minute. Gurung appeared to have dived as Lama was trying to seize the ball. For the ´offence´ lama was sent off as he picked a second yellow card.
"The goal we conceded through penalty became the turning point of the game," APF manager Prem Kumar Shrestha said during the post match conference. "It was not an offence for penalty. Instead we should have been awarded penalty while Lawati was fouled inside area. But we got freekick from outside the area only after assistant referee raised the flag. Had we been awarded penalty we could have won the match."
"Referee should not be biased like spectators who are free to support any teams. I am not saying this because we lost the match. The decision of the referee contributed in bringing down the team´s morale." Shrestha however lauded his team´s performance adding that Three Star was the tournament favorite.
Skipper Bishan Gauchang made it 3-1 when he smashed a powerful shot from the 25 yard which entered goal after hitting the upright. Unmarked Bikram Lama sealed the victory one minute from time after he calmly volleyed in Maharjan´s long pass. Maharjan was declared the man-of-the-match.
Earlier, APF dominated the match and ball possession during first half and created three dangerous attacks on Three Star goal. In the 42nd minute, Lawati´s header was inches away from the post. But after taking the lead, APF resorted to defensive play in the second half which allowed the opposition to slowly gain control of the game and exert pressure.
Three Star which could not make any significant attack before the interval mounted about half a dozen attacks in the second half. Buddha Chemjong fired inches wide from box in the 56th minute with only the goalie to beat.
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