Shree Bhagawati Club got the better of Satdobato Youth Club 4-3 in the first Super League match of the Martyrs Memorial ‘B’ Division League football tournament at the ANFA complex in Satdobato on Friday.

Shree Bhagawati’s Mohan Bahadur Thapa Magar landed the first blow in the 3rd minute as he found the back of the net five yards out. In the 19th minute, Magar could have extended Shree Bhagawati’s lead had not his powerful kick from 20 yards been punched out by Satdobato goalkeeper Sanam Rai. The miss didn’t prove too costly as Magar netted from inside the area off Karfu Rasaili’s through ball to make it 2-0.

Shree Kumari custodian Bishal Sunar got fingertips on the ball lobbed at the post from almost the midfield to deny Satdobato in the 34th minute. Magar completed his hat-trick in the next minute on a penalty kick that was awarded after he was tripped by Satdobato goalkeeper Bishal Sunar in one-on-one encounter.

Satdobato could have pulled a goal back in the 40th minute later but Ranjan Pun’s shot at goal from 15 yards went agonizingly off the bar. In the 55th minute, Bhuwan Basnet found the substituted Shree Bhagawati custodian Sudip Giri’s arms of a close range volley of Ujjwol Shahi’s cross. In the 57th minute, Pemba Nurbu Lama’s attempt at goal from 10 yards crashed into the crossbar.

Dorje Tamang finally opened the Satdobato’s account in the 63rd minute as he netted from five yards. Prithivi Chaudhary made it 3-2 in the 71st minute, slotting in a close range shot off a Bhuwan Basnet cross from the left wing. Satdobato kept on piling pressure on the Shree Bhagawati defence but custodian Sanam Rai failed to gather a regulation ball attempted at goal from beyond the midfield by Aash Bahadur Gurung in the 86th minute. Satdobato’s Bhuwan Basnet scored in the 89th minute after a goalmouth scramble to keep his side’s hopes alive but Shree Bhagawati eventually clung on to victory.

In another match of the day, Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) got the better of Tushal Youth Club 2-1 after Unam Budhathoki scored a brace. Budhathoki gave RCT a 31st minute lead before Karan Rawat equalised for Tushal in the 76th minute. As the match headed towards a stalemate, Budhathoki handed RCT the victory striking in the 82nd. A total of four teams are competing in the Super League out of the 12 teams in the preliminary stage divided into two groups. The top finisher in the Super League will be crowned champions of the second tier football.