Nepal Police Club (NPC) defeated Three Star Club 1-0 to enter the semi-finals of the Damak Gold Cup football tournament on Sunday.

Avishek Rijal headed home the winning goal in the 57th minute as the departmental team avenged their quarter-final defeat in the Mai Valley Gold Cup in Ilam on April 26. NPC will take on Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club on Tuesday. The entertaining match saw Three Star test NPC custodian Kiran Chemjong early in the seventh minute when he was forced to punch out a Sunil Bal scorcher to safety. A minute later Bal fired whiskers away from the target.

Despite the early pressure, NPC scored against the run of play thanks of Rijal. Bal came close to equalising in the 67th minute only to see his headed attempt off target. Both teams appeared desperate to score goals in the last 20 minutes but none succeeded. Tej Tamang of NPC was denied by Three Star goalie Alan Neupane in the 81st minute.

Three Star also came closer to equalising two minutes late but NPC somehow scrambled the ball away to safety after Chemjong fumbled the ball inside the area. The NPC glovesman was declared man-of-the-match and won

Rs 11,000. Manang Marshyangdi Club will take on Saraswati Club on Monday. The tournament offers purse of Rs 1,311,000 to the champions and Rs 600,000 to the runners-up.