Sports
‘A’ Division League: Manang opens up 3-point cushion
Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) edged Saraswati Youth Club 2-0 to maintain its winning streak and open up a three-point lead in the Martyrs Memorial ‘A’ Division League football tournament at the APF grounds in Halchowk on Saturday.Prajwal Oli
Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) edged Saraswati Youth Club 2-0 to maintain its winning streak and open up a three-point lead in the Martyrs Memorial ‘A’ Division League football tournament at the APF grounds in Halchowk on Saturday.
Second half goals from Nepal international Anaja Bista and Nigerian Olawale Afeez sealed the victory for the record seven time champion which stretched its winning run to five matches in the league. In an early kickoff, Sankata Club overcome Chyasal Youth Club 2-1 to make four wins out of five matches to go level on 12 points with Three Star Club.
Saturday’s outcome meant, MMC firmly lead the table with 15 points ahead of second-placed Three Star and Sankata. Three Star, however, occupies second position in the standings in terms of goal difference. MMC’s lead on top could be trimmed to one point if Tribhuvan Army Club beats Himalayan Sherpa Club during their fifth round match on Sunday. Saraswati remained unchanged at seventh with six points while Chayasal is sixth with four. Chyasal has one win, as many draw and three defeats while Saraswati has won twice and lost three matches.
The entertaining fixture between MMC and Saraswati was lit up early when Afeez missed two scoring chances. In the 10th minute, the Nigerian fired above the bar from the close range and the forward again failed to hit the target in the 20th minute with his half-volley from the area on a cross from Anjan Bista missed the target by inches.
In the 52nd minute, MMC’s Dona Thapa volleyed above bar in skipper Biraj Maharjan pass before his side made the breakthrough three minutes later. Anjan Bista scored with a powerful drive exactly from the edge of the area capitalising on a Bimal Rana strike that rebounded off Saraswati defender.
Saraswati, boosted by presence of three decent foreign players, pushed for equaliser in the 67th minute only to see Tirtha Basnet’s tight angle tapping from the box getting parried by goalie Bishal Shrestha. MMC doubled the advantage in the 68th through Afeez who made a cool finish from the area after collecting a brilliant pass from Rana Magar and slamming the ball past goalie Pradip Bhandari.
The fourth goal of the campaign takes Afeez and Bista on top of the highest scorers’ list along with the latter’s sibling Ranjan Bista of Three Star. Though Saraswati exerted consistent pressure in the last 15 minutes of the game, the stubborn MMC defense spearheaded by national captain Biraj Maharjan kept it at bay. Maharjan will miss MMC’s next match due to second booking.
MMC coach Suman Shrestha was satisfied with his side’s performance although his team should have won the match with a huge margin. “Though we had wanted to score in the early periods, we failed to do that. The presence of foreigner player in the opponent team didn’t help in our bid. Saraswati played better than our expectations,” he said. Saraswati coach Pradip Nepal said that his side was morally down after conceding goal, though it played well in the first half.
Nepal also blamed referee of favoring big teams. “The referee gave unnecessary advantage to big team and booked our players without any offence,” he said who also lauded his foreign recruit for putting on full effort.
In the early fixture, Sankata opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through penalty after Chyasal’s Tshiring Gurung handled the ball inside the area. Amit Tamang converted the penalty from spot. Sankata went 2-0 up three minutes into restart through Cameroonian Ellon Maxwell. The forward easily beat advancing goalie from close range in a Nitin Thapa pass.
Chyasal cut the deficit in the 87th minute through spotkick after forward Santosh Sahukhala was brought down in the area by Sankata skipper Saroj Dahal. Sahukhala himself converted the resulting penalty but Sankata’s push for equaliser didn’t materialise. Chyasal coach Raju Shakya was left fuming following the stunning defeat.
“The team could not play to its potential and some of the players failed to deliver,” said veteran Shakya without naming any of them. He had substituted star forward Bimal Gharti Magar in the second half who gave a below-par performance. Shakya also said that it would be now difficult to achieve its goal of winning the title and his side would now fight for top six spot.
Today’s fixture
Machhindra Vs Friends @ 1100
Army Vs Sherpa @ 1430
Venue: Satdobato
Brigade Vs Jawalakhel @ 1430
Venue: Halchowk