Nepal Police Club (NPC) edged visiting side Kanchenjunga Football Club of Darjeeling, India 3-2 to enter the 19th International Invitational Budha Subba Gold Cup football tournament semi-finals on Tuesday.

Man Bahadur Pariyar struck an injury time goal to put NPC into the semi-finals in a match where all five goals were scored in second half at the Anfa Technical Centre. NPC had gone ahead through a brace from Abhishek Rijal but Niwas Rana and Karan Thapa brought Kanchenjunga back in the game.

NPC were dominant in the first half and their attack revolved around two-goal scorer Rijal. He set Jumanu Rai for a free header in the sixth minute and unmarked Nirak Kumar Rai in the 33th minute but both failed to score. Bhola Silwal and Pariyar were also denied in the closing stages of second half.

What looked to be a low scoring game then witnessed a flurry of goals after the resumption. Rijal put NPC ahead in the 50th minute converting a freekick after a foul on striker Rai. The lead doubled after Rijal made an excellent run with the ball and managed to beat Kanchenjung defenders to slam home his second in the 58th.

Kanchenjunga problems  deepened even more in the 67th minute after they were reduced to 10 men  when their skipper Amir Lama got  marching orders following a foul on Silwal. But Kanchenjunga hit back through Rana in the 71st minute after he beautifully converted a freekick from outside the box.

NPC had their one foot in the last four but Thapa stunned the Nepali top tier outfits through a penalty in the 87th minute. Kanchenjunga were rewarded the spot kick after Tej Tamang was adjudged to have brought down Wangchuk Tamang inside the area.

NPC, however, were in the driving seat after Pariyar’s pin-point header in a corner from Tamang kissed the back of the nets. NPC coach Kumar Katuwal said his team played with good spirit. “Our boys did well despite conceding an equaliser late in the game,” said Katuwal.

In the first semi-final match on Wednesday, Udaypur Gold Cup winners Rupandehi XI will take on Sankata Club, the Simara Gold Cup champions. NPC will play hosts Dharan FC in the other semi-final match on Thursday.