Sports
APF pip Sherpa, through to quarter-finals
Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club entered the quarter-finals of the second Makwanpur Gold Cup football tournament with a slim 1-0 victory over Himalayan Sherpa Club here on Friday.Pratap Bista
Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club entered the quarter-finals of the second Makwanpur Gold Cup football tournament with a slim 1-0 victory over Himalayan Sherpa Club here on Friday.
AT the Forestry grounds, Hari Karki scored in the 39th minute which ultimately turned out to be the decider for the departmental outfits. In the quarter-finals, APF will take on Cameroonian club Dauphins Family who are fresh from winning the Mai Valley Gold Cup in Ilam.
APF dominated the first 20 minutes of the game and made numerous attempts on the goal but they were kept at bay by Sherpa custodian Kishor Giri. Rajeev Lopchan was close to giving APF a 37th minute lead after he headed a cross from Shyam Nepali only to see Giri making a diving save. Lopchan missed two more clear goal scoring chances before Karki struck for APF.
Karki rounded up two Sherpa defenders before firing past Giri. Sherpa controlled the second half and created several goal scoring moves but they failed to penetrate a stubborn APF defense line. APF coach Sudeep Shrestha said there was no room to be content with the performance.
“The boys were not able to play well specially in the second half and we missed many scoring chances in the first half as well. I don’t think it was a good performance from us,” said Shrestha. His Sherpa counterpart Bijendra Pudasaini was satisfied with the team’s display.
“It has been a tiring week for us because we came here after competing in the Mai Valley Gold Cup. I think APF did well from the defense line,” said Pudasaini. On Saturday, Nepal Police Club will take on Chyasal Youth Club.