Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club rallied to beat archrivals Tribhuvan Army Club 2-1 in the Super League to strengthen their title bid during the 16th National Women League football tournament held under the National Sports Council Championships at the Anfa Complex on Tuesday.

Krishna Khatri gave an early 17th minute lead to Army thanks to a blunder from APF custodian Anjali Tumbappo Subba. Subba spilled the ball from her grip allowing Khatri to score from the point-blank range. Anita KC restored the parity for the APF five minutes into second half. She tapped in a Sabitra Bhandari’s goal-bound header. Anita Basnet then struck the decider in the 83rd minute in a solitary effort. She dribbled past three defenders before rounding up goalkeeper Lila Lamgade.

Man Maya Limbu of APF was sent off in the stoppage time for a double bookable offence. It was the first match that the tournament top-scorer Sabitra Bhandari of APF failed to add to her goal tally. She has already struck 27 goals.

In the day’s early fixture, Nepal Police Club was made to sweat for a 1-0 win over Far Western Region. Rupa Magar struck the only goal of the game in the 31st minute. The outcome puts APF on top of the table with six points from two matches. Army and Police are second and third in the standings with equal three points each. But Army, who beat Police 4-1 on Tuesday, are ahead on the head-to-head record. Far Western Region are yet to open their account after losing both their matches of their Super League.  

Army will take on Far Western Region and APF will vie against Police in the last day of the league on Thursday.

Maharjan in final

Lalita Maharjan of Army club and Nangja Budamagar of APF advanced to the women’s 48kg division final of the National Boxing Championships in Birtamode, Jhapa, on Tuesday.

Maharjan beat Diwana Sherma of Nepal Police Club and Budamagar edged Sharmila Lama of Bhaktapur in the semi-finals. In the 51kg semis, Bimala Thapa Magar of Dang gave away walkover to her elder sister Gita Kumari of Army. The latter will meet APF’s Mala Rai, who overcome Roshani Rai of Naxal, in the final. 

The 51kg clash saw Bimala Shrestha of Army oust Maya Chaudhary of APF and Nita Gosai of Bhaktapur saw off Sanju Maya Thing of Makawanpur to set the title clash. In the women’s 57kg semi-finals, Sanju Lama of APF beat Chandra Kala Thapa of Army and Kusum Tamang of Naxal defeated Kusum Thapa Magar of Kaski.

Sangita Sunar of APF beat Minu Gurung of Army in the 60kg division to set the final clash with Mandira Putuwar of Kathmandu. In 64kg division, Punam Raut of Army and Binita Thapa Magar of APF set the title clash. Manita Rai of APF and Anuradha Lama of Nepal Police Club made it to the women’s 69kg division final. APF’s Saraswati Rana and Sabina Shrestha of Army will vie in the women’s 75kg final.

In the men’s boxing, Manohar Basnet of Jhapa will fight against Saujan Thapa of Tikapur in the 81kg final. The 75kg division final will feature Dipesh Lama of Army and Kaushal Jung Thapa of APF while Dipak Shrestha of Army and Bhupen Thapa Magar of Police will be in action in the 64kg final. 

Prakash Limbu Ijam of Jhapa and Eak Bahadur Ghale of Army made it to the 60kg final while the 56kg category will be all an-APF affair after Puran Rai and Bimal Roka secured passage to the final. Prem Chaudhary of Army and Bikram Pariyar of APF set the 52kg title clash.

Central in semis

Central Region made it to the girls’ category semi-finals of the National Basketball Championships in Kathman-du on Tuesday. Central beat Western Region 69-20 to finish their league campaign on top of the Group ‘A’. Central joined Mid-west and Tribhuvan Army Club from Group ‘B’ in the last four of the tournament. The result between Western and Eastern Region will decide the fourth team to qualify for the semi-finals. In the men’s event, all three departmental teams—APF, Army and Nepal Police  Club (NPC) recorded wins. APF beat Western 86-76, while Army hammered

Mid-west 127-62. NPC beat Eastern 90-66.