CMG Club Sankata claimed the Ruslan eighth Simara Gold Cup title with a hard-fought 4-2 tie breaker victory over Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) here at the Simara Stadium on Saturday.

The match had to be decided through penalties after the teams played 1-1 stalemate in the 90-minute regulation time and the deadlock remained after the 30-minute of extra time. The title won Sankata a cash purse of Rs 551,000 and runners-up TAC got Rs 250,000. Balkrishna Chaudhary had put TAC ahead in the game before Amit Tamang levelled the scoring.

In the tie breakers, Raj Poudel, Anil Gurung, Tamang, Kuldip Karki scored from the spot with Bishwo Adhikari’s shot punched out by TAC keeper Sunil Srivastav. Santosh Tamang and Hiranya Magar were the only TAC players to score from the spot. Sankta custodian Binay Shrestha was the hero of the day denying Jitendra Karki and Deepak Gurung in tie breaker.

The first half of the game didn’t go as per expectations as both teams failed to create any threatening chance. TAC went ahead in the two minute of added on time in the first half when Shrestha’s shot from outside the area first hit the bar and beat Sankata keeper Shrestha.

Sankata levelled soon after the resumption with Tamang scoring through a 56th minute freekick. Sankata were awarded the freekick after TAC’s scorer Shrestha was adjudged to have brought down Ajayi Martins Kayodi just outside the area. The goal rejuvenated Sankata and they created few more scoring chances but failed to convert.

Sankata goalkeeper Shrestha was adjudged the player-of-the-tournament that won him a motorcycle. He got another Rs 15,000 for claiming the best goalkeeper award. Bimal Pandey (defender), Santosh Tamang (midfielder) and Shrestha (highest scorer) of TAC, Anil Gurung (forward) and Salyan Khadgi (coach) were other individual winners. They got Rs 15,000 apiece. Nepal Armed Police Force Club took the Fair Play Team honour.

Morang XI enter semi-finals

UDAYPUR: Morang XI entered the semi-finals of the fourth Udaypur Gold Cup football tournament with a 3-1 tie breaker victory over Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club on Saturday. The match at the Tharuhat Stadium was pushed to spot kick battle after both teams failed to break the goalless deadlock in the 90-minute regulation time. Bhuwan Basnet, Buddhiman Rai and Anosh Magar scored for Morang. Bhim Shrestha was only APF player to score from the spot. Buddhiman Rai of Morang was named man-of-the-match. On Sunday, Jhapa play Rupandehi. (PR)