Nepal Police Club (NPC) and Jawalakhel Youth Club booked quarter-finals berths in the Lalit Memorial U-18 Championship as group winners after registering wins in their last league matches at the Anfa grounds in Satdobato on Monday. 

NPC registered a 2-1 win over already-qualified Sankata Club to top Group ‘D’ with seven points. Sankata finished with six points. Already-eliminated Morang (1) and Brigade Boys Club (0) will clash in the last group match. Rejin Subba opened the scoring for NPC in the 10th minute and Rewash Maskey doubled advantage in the 29th minute. Dipesh Ale Magar cut the deficit in the first half stoppage time.

In a late match, Jawalakhel confirmed their place in the quarter-finals from Group ‘C’ with a 4-0 win over Lumbini. Both Jawalakhel and Lumbini have six points each after playing their third and final league matches. But Jawalakhel secured last eight berth by the virtue of head-to-head as well as better goal-margin. With a match in hand, Himalayan Sherpa Club of have three points and could finish runner up if they beat New Road Team (NRT) in their last fixture on superiority in goals scored. However, a defeat or draw will send Sherpas crashing out. NRT are yet to open their account in the pool.

Sushant Chaudhary struck a hat-trick for Jawalakhel after Amit Bhomjan put them ahead in the 14th minute. Chaudhary made it 2-0 in the 26th minute. He netted his second individual goal in the 75th minute before completing a treble in the stoppage time.

Kathmandu, Taplejung reach last four

Kathmandu and Taplejung advanced to the semi-finals of Anfa Women League Championship in Palpa on Monday. Taplejung beat Jhapa  2-0 with second half goals from Muna Tamang and Priti Rai in the 80-minute match. A lone goal from Anuska Sherpa in the second half turned to be decisive in Taplejung’s 1-0 win over Kailali. In Syangja, Rautahat and Morang made it to the semi-finals after winning their last eight matches. Rautahat beat Sarlahi 2-0 riding on two second half goals from Rashmi Kumari Ghising. Saru Limbu netted all four goals for Morang in their 4-1 rout of Nawalparasi.