Nepal Police Club (NPC) stunned holders Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the 16th Aaha-Rara Gold Cup football tournament in Pokhara on Tuesday.

The departmental outfits netted all three goals within the space of 20 minutes in the second half to eliminate five-time champions. Nir Kumar Rai, Dinesh Rajbanshi and Suman Lama were on targets for NPC while Bishal Rai got one back for MMC.

MMC forward Santosh Sahukhala and Bishal Rai fired off target in the first half. Sahukhala’s 25-yard shot at half-an-hour mark and Rai’s similar effort seven minutes later sailed inches wide of the target.

NPC also lacked cutting edge in the first half as Suman Lama, skipper Hem Tamang and Rai wasted scoring chances. NPC coach Ananta Thapa said his side perfectly executed the game plan. Rai broke the deadlock eight minutes after the restart. His strike at the far post from edge left MMC goalie Dinesh Thapa Magar clueless.

Rajbanshi doubled the advantage in the 57th when he headed home a corner from Tej Tamang. Man-of-the-match Lama made it 3-0 in the 72nd after cutting past defender Rabi Thapa and custodian Thapa Magar. Rai pulled one back for MMC in the 82nd minute, heading home Anil Gurung cross.

NPC had defeated MMC 2-1 to lift the trophy of Caravan Gold Cup in 2001, before the tournament was renamed Aaha Gold Cup a year later. Since then, MMC had made it to the final nine times and winning on five occasions. NPC have won the tournament four times and losing on three other occasions in the finals.

MMC coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung said the absence of foreign recruits cost them the match. MMC were unable to field four foreign players due to work permit issues.  “We came to know that they need work permit only after arriving here. Taking them out from the set team took heavy toll on coordination,” added Gurung. Three Star Club were also unable to field three of their foreign recruits on Monday due to the same reason.

The tournament organisers Sahara Club have made it mandatory for the teams to produce work permit for foreign recruits.

NPC will take on Dharan Football Club in the semi-final on Thursday a day after Three Star Club play against Uttar Baridhara of Bangladesh on Wednesday.