Three Star Club claimed their first title after taking a year-long hiatus from football edging out Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) 1-0 in the final of the Madan Bhandari Memorial Itahari Gold Cup football tournament in here on Saturday. 

A solitary goal from Buddha Chemjong in the 36th minute was sufficient for the Lalitpur-based outfit to beat arch rivals and claim first title in their second appearance following a comeback in the domestic football. The-man-of-the-match Chemjong dribbled past three MMC defenders - Moussa, Bimal Basnet and Rabi Thapa — and shot at the far post after he was supplied by star forward Bimal Gharti Magar. 

Three Star had been boycotting all football activities since getting deprived of their rights to participate in the AFC Cup playoffs in January, 2017, thanks to an utter negligence from the All Nepal Football Association (Anfa). Three Star had agreed to compete in domestic events only after Anfa decided to provide them with a compensation of Rs 15 million. In their return to domestic football, Three Star had crashed out from the quarter-finals of the Khaptad Gold Cup in Dhangadi on January 12. 

The win made Three Star richer by Rs 1.2 million. It is so far the highest cash given to the champions in domestic football outside Kathmandu valley. Runners up MMC, appearing in the fifth final of the season, walked away with Rs 500,000. They had won Jaycees Cup (Chitwan) and Duhabi Cup (Duhabi) previously. “The victory is a wonderful comeback for the team,” said Three Star coach Meghraj KC after the match. 

The evenly contested affair saw MMC create huge pressure and resorted to counter attack after the break. In search for an equaliser, MMC players went for long range attempts at the goal for that hardly yielded any result. Three Star’s Nirajan Khadka failed to utilise as many as three scoring chances, while MMC’s Heman Gurung shot above bar from 15-yard in the 56th minute and six minutes later Sujal Shrestha also ended in similar fashion. 

Ananta Tamang of Three Star won the best player award and rode a two wheeler. His teammate Alan Neupane and Ajayi Martins were declared the best goalkeeper and forward respectively. KC took the best coach honour. MMC’s Biraj Maharjan was named best defender and Heman was adjudged the best midfielder. 

All the best individuals got Rs 20,000 apiece. Martins of Three Star and Sujal Shrestha of MMC shared highest goal-scorer’s award with three goals each. Both of 

them won Rs 15,000 each. Bijay Rai of hosts Rastriya Jagriti Club was named the emerging player.

Visiting Baridhara enter semi-finals in Pokhara

POKHARA: Uttar Baridhara Sporting Club of Bangladesh beat Farwest XI 2-1 to cruise into the semi-final of the 16th Aaha-Rara Gold Cup football tournament in Pokhara on Saturday. 

All three goals of the match were possible deep into second half of the game that witnessed an eventful closing with two visiting Baridhara players were sent off in the 88th minute before Farwest squandered a penalty to level the scorers. 

Farwest came closer to scoring in the 21st minute before Rakesh Hamal’s header sailed inches wide in Kamal Thapa’s corner. Baridhara wasted an opportunity in the 35th minute when unmarked Jintu Mohomad ended up firing straight at goalie’s hand. Baridhara took 74th minute lead through Mido Masa and four minutes later Farwest were unlucky not to score two minutes through penalty. 

Dhiraj Gurung shot straight at goalie’s hand from the spot after Farwest were awarded penalty when Jintu handed ball inside the box. Shyala Sonlemane doubled the advantage for visitors in the 83rd minute. Binod KC cut the deficit in the 88th minute making the score 2-1 but it was too late for them to get the equaliser. Farwest kept piling pressure in the five-minute stoppage time but they failed to get the scores despite two opponent players were sent off. 

Saila and Kandey Lansane were slapped with second yellow card for misbehaving with referee. Tribhuvan Army Club will vie against Dharan FC in the second quarter-final on Sunday. (PR)