Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) defied the odds to enter the semi-finals of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup football tournament in Chittagong, Bangladesh on Friday.

In their last Group ‘B’ match at the MA Aziz Stadium, MMC were held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Chittagong Abahani Limited who made early inroads following the stalemate. In a pool that produced uncertain results, MMC had no other option than to expect Mohammedan Sporting Club, a team whom they had beaten 2-0 in the league stage, defeat Afghanistan league champions Shaheen Asmayee.

Mohammedan did beat Asmayee, who had overcome MMC 3-1 in the second league game, 2-0 for a result that ultimately benefitted MMC. The Nepali top tier went through at the expense of Mohammedan in head-to-head result after both teams were tied on four points each at the second spot.

Asmayee, a 3-1 loser to Chittagong Abahani, ended up at the bottom of the four-team pool with three points. MMC will now take on Group ‘A’ winners TC Sports Club of Maldives on February 27. Chittagong, who ended up at the top of the table with five points, will play Pocheon FC of South Korea in the second semi-final the next day.

Earlier, Chittagong rallied from two goals down to cancel out a brace from African recruit Oladipo Olawale Afeez and draw MMC that left the latter wait for the result of day’s second game.

Afeez gave MMC a dream start when he struck in the third minute scoring in an empty net after he was fed inside the box by skipper Anil Gurung who had cleverly noticed that Chittagong goalkeeper had left the post unguarded. A minute later MMC custodian Dinesh Thapa Magar punched away a powerful shot from Augustine Walson.

After another African recruit Samson wasted a goal scoring opportunity in the 13th minute, Afeez doubled the lead in the 23rd. Afeez received a pass from Samson just outside the area and beat as many as two Chittagong defenders to fire home from the box. Chittagong levelled in the 32nd minute through Nasiruddin Chaudhury as the first half ended 2-1.

Walson levelled the game for Chittagong, for whom a defeat would have been an early exit from the tournament, in the 62nd minute through a penalty. The hosts were awarded the spot kick after defender Devendra Tamang appeared to have got his hands to the ball inside area. MMC could have won the game in the injury time only to see skipper Gurung’s header hit the crossbar.

MMC coach Chhiring Lhopsang Gurung fumed at the handball decision. “The referee looked like he was trying to throw us out of the game. Additionally, our boys also took the game lightly after taking a 2-0 lead,” said Gurung.