Rupandehi XI stunted Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club 2-1 to enter the quarter-finals of the Simara Gold Cup here on Sunday.

Budha Chemjong scored the winner in the extra time are 90 minutes of normal time ended in a 1-1 draw. The win meant Rupandehi avenged their loss in the final of the recently held Kandangwa Gold Cup. Rupandehi will take on mighty Manang Marshyangdi Club for a place in the semi-finals.

After a goalless stalemate in the first half, the game burst into life with a 46th minute goal from man-of-the-match Yogesh Gurung. Gurung’s powerful shot from inside the area found the inner bar before crossing the goalline. The lead lasted for 17 minutes as Ganesh Lawati struck an equaliser in the 58th minute. Lawati made full use of an accurate Rajendra Rawal cross to score the leveller and push the match to extra time.

But Chemjong struck the winning goal 15 minutes into the extra time and once again Rupandehi were lucky as the ball hit the bar before entering the post.

APF coach Janak Singh lamented on the missed opportunities. “We wasted too many goal scoring chances which will always be fatal,” said Singh adding that his players were also burn out due to continuous participation in tournaments of late.

Rupandehi assistant coach Jaggunath Khadka praised his team’s fighting spirit. “We also exacted revenge after losing the Kandangwa final to the same opponents,” said Khadka. Defending champions Tribhuvan Army Club will play Three Star Club on Monday.