Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) crashed to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Shaheen Aasmayi of Afghanistan in their second Group ‘B’ match of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup football tournament in Chittagong, Bangladesh, on Wednesday. 

At the MA Aziz Stadium, Amiruddhin Sharifi struck a hat-trick to stun MMC who had opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over local side Mohammedan Sporting Club. The defeat leaves MMC with a tough task to make it through to semi-finals from four-team pool. 

MMC will play their last match against Chittagong Abahani Limited on Friday and even a victory might not help them go through. They need to wait for Aasmayi’s last game against Mohammedan where a draw could put MMC through provided they beat Chittagong. Chittagong, however, are posing as one of the title contenders having swept aside Aasmayi 3-1 in their first game.

Sharifi put Aasmayi, the Afghani league champions, ahead in the 38th minute dodging two MMC defenders before firing past custodian Dinesh Thapa Magar at the top corner. MMC came up in the second half with an improved performance but Sharifi once again shined with a powerful low drive towards the second bar with poor marking from MMC defenders resulting in the goal. Bimal Basnet brought MMC back in the game in the 73rd minute heading home a corner from Sujal Shrestha. 

Basnet had replaced Biraj Maharjan in the 70th minute. As MMC were seeking an equaliser, Sharifi made life more difficult for the Nepali top-tier club converting a penalty three minutes later. Aasmayi were rewarded the spot kick for a hand ball of Sissoko.

Earlier, MMC were close to levelling the scores in the 40th minute when skipper Anil Gurung’s header rebounded off the bar. MMC’s African recruits Oladipo Olawale Afeez and Samson also missed two clear goal scoring chances in the 57th and 67th minutes respectively.

MMC coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung said his skipper’s header hitting the woodworks was the turning point of the game. “I think had only the header went in, the game would have been in our hand. But going down 2-0 was difficult for us,” said Gurung adding his side lacked in the backline. 

“We had good preparations ahead of the tournament but today our defenders were not upto the mark,” added Gurung.