Nepal Police Club (NPC) made light work of Bijay Youth Club of Hetauda in their 3-0 win to storm into the semi-finals of the Hetauda Gold Cup football tournament on Sunday. 

Abhishek Rijal netted two first half goals and Rabi Paswan added the third after the break against home team, who played with a man down for the last 10 minutes. NPC, chasing their third title of the season after lifting NSC Championships Football and Aaha-Rara Gold Cup, will vie play against either Sankata Club or Three Star Club.

Rijal gave 11th minute lead to the departmental team capitalising on a pass from Paswan. Paswan doubled the advantage five minutes before the interval after he unleashed a left-footed scorcher to dash home teams’ faint hopes of comeback. Paswan made it 3-0 in the 59th heading home a cross from. 

Bijay Youth were reduced to 10-man in the 81st minute after defender Manoj Bista was sent off for manhandling Prelen Tamang. NPC coach Ananta Raj Tamang credited the victory for their team work. 

Bijay Youth coach Subin Ghimire singled out defensive lapse as the cause of their defeat. Tribhuvan Army Club will take on Farwest XI on Monday in the tournament organised by Suman Bhomjan Sports Foundation. The tournament offers cash Rs 500,000 to winners and Rs 300,000 to runners-up.