Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club advanced to the quarter-finals of the Simara Gold Cup football tournament with a 2-0 win over Nawa Janajagriti Youth Club on Friday.

Rabi Thing and Ranjan Bista scored for the departmental team, who next play Tribhuvan Army Club for a place in the semi-finals.

After a drab first half, substitute Thing put APF ahead in the 72nd minute capitalising on a Nabin Lama’s cross. Thing had only entered the filed 10 minutes earlier in place of Yubraj Khadka. Bista settled the nerved adding the second deep into the injury time to seal the victory.

APF were themselves to blame for not taking early lead as they wasted numerous scoring opportunity before Thing finally found one.

APF should have taken the lead early in the seventh minute but Nawa Janajagriti custodian made a wonderful save to deny man-of-the-match Ranjan following a pass from his brother Anjan. Seven minutes later Khadka shot agonisingly wide of the bar after being fed inside the area by Rup Bahadur Lama.

Ranjan wasted another goal scoring chance in the 17th minute when fed by Lama inside the area, the forward shot teasingly wide of the target. To add to the APF’s misery Anjan also squandered a penalty in the 46th minute. APF were awarded the spot kick after defender Lokendra Bahadur Karki tripped Anjan inside the danger zone. 

Anjan himself step in to take the shot but hit wide of the target.

Nawa Janajagriti also had fair number of scoring opportunities but could not capitalise on them. Bibek Chaudhary wasted a chance early in the third minute when he ran shot wide in an acute pass from Chaturdhan Chaudhary. Sagar Chaudhary also missed out on scoring from a Bibek pass in the 31st minute.

Nawa Janajagriti Club ‘white’ will take on Morang Football Club on Saturday.