Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) bridged the gap with leaders Three Star as Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club’s title hopes ended with a 5-3 loss to Far-western FC at the Anfa Complex on Sunday.

Ravi Paswan scored a hattrick in MMC’s crushing 7-1 victory over Morang FC who ended their league campaign winless. MCC climbed to the second spot with 28 points from 14, just one point behind Three Star with both teams playing 14 matches each and heading towards a possible title decider on the final day.

TAC are up next in the table with 27 points having played 14 games with a depleted Nepal Police Club (NPC) and second from the bottom Lumbini awaiting them in the last two matches. Far West, a team largely incorporating U-19 footballers, ended on a high note but their victory was a huge blow to APF who remained at the fifth spot with 23 points from 14 matches.

APF are left with even more tough draws against Three Star and Jhapa in the remaining two games. However, even victory in both of their games cannot help them clinch the title. Jhapa, who were beaten 1-0 by Three Star on Saturday, are fourth in the table with just one match remaining and are out of the title race.

Far West, who ended sixth with 20 points from their maximum 16 games, virtually threw APF out of the contest with a 3-0 lead by the end of the first half. Kamal Thapa put them ahead in the 15th minute before skipper Bimal Gharti Magar made it 2-0 two minutes later. Hemant Thapa Magar stunned APF with a 27th minute strike leaving the departmental side with herculean task in the second half.

Ranjan Bista replied for APF in the 57th minute before Sudeep Shikhrakar kept his side alive in the game with a 74th minute goal. However, Janom Man Ligal restored the two-goal cushion in the 85th minute before Sunil Bal put the issue beyond doubt in the final minute of the regulation time. Bista struck again in the third minute of added time but the goal could only console the APF camp.

APF coach Krishna Thapa was furious with the defeat and was quick to concede the third spot as well. “This is the worst I have seen from APF since I took the charge of the team. We were defensively weak and our attack didn’t have any fire power. I think we have also given up the third place today,” said Thapa.

Later in the day, MMC condemned Morang to their ninth defeat that saw them finish at the bottom with seven points. Paswan completed his hattrick scoring in the 39th, 69th and 81st minutes, while Aashish Karki also grabbed a brace for Manang. The other two goals came from Subash Gurung and Sushil KC. Buddhiman Rai scored the only goal for Morang.

MMC play NPC in the penultimate game and coach Raju Kaji Shakya wants his boys to keep calm. “In the current stage, results are more important and we are happy to get a huge-margin victory. Our match against NPC will be as important as the final,” said Shakya. Morang coach Kumar Pradhan said they were outplayed in the game.

“We managed to contain them in the first half conceding just one goal but began losing momentum in the second. Overall, the league was a great platform for our boys and we are happy with what our local boys have done,” added Pradhan.