Tribhuvan Army Club ran riot over visiting side Sikkim United FC of India to enter the quarter-finals of the 19th Tilottama Gold Cup football tournament here on Friday. 

At the Anfa Technical Centre, Amrit Basnet struck a hat-trick for TAC, while Dip Lama scored a brace with Bibek Basnet, Tanka Basnet and Santosh Tamang adding one goal as the visitors were knocked out from their first match with a crushing defeat. The victory helped TAC set up a mouthwatering departmental clash with Nepal Police Club. On Saturday, Jhapa XI will take on Himalayan Sherpa Club of Kathmandu. 

TAC were without their influential striking duo Nawayug Shrestha and Bharat Khawas along with Bikesh Kuthu but their absence was hardly felt as the armymen dominated the game from the outset. Bibek opened the scoring in the 11th minute and Tanka Basnet struck in the 22nd minute as TAC headed into the second half with a firm 2-0 lead. 

Santosh Tamang then made it 3-0 eight minutes after resumption as Sikkim United ran out of clue to overcome the huge deficit. Lama joined the scoring spree in the 60th minute before Amrit made it extended the lead to five goals. He scored his next two goals in the 81st and 90th minutes as Lama completed the rout in the 92nd minute. Basnet was declared man-of-the-match.

NPC take on Sankata 

DHARAN: Nepal Police Club (NPC) are taking on Sankata Club in the final of the International Invitational Budha Subba Gold Cup on Saturday. While NPC will be gunning for a fifth title, Sankata can win their second trophy this year having previously won the Simara Gold Cup. The match will also give NPC an opportunity to avenge their 2-1 defeat during the Aaha-Rara Gold Cup in Pokhara. NPC had made into the final sweeping aside Dharan 3-1 after edging Share FC of India 3-2 in the quarters. Their only struggle was a sudden death win over Dharan ‘Yellow’. Sankata had opened with a 3-2 victory over Durgapuri Steel and edged Nepal APF Club 1-0 in the quarter-finals. They confirmed their fifth final this season seeing off Rupandehi XI 2-1 in the last four. (PR)