A division outfits Saraswoti Youth Club lifted Bagmati Gold Cup football tournament title defeating the second-string Tribhuvan Army Club 4-3 in tiebreaker at the Faparbari of Bagmati Rural Municipality in Makawanpur on Friday.

The outcome was decided from spot kicks after the regulation time finished in a 1-1 deadlock. After a goalless first half, Army took the lead in the 58th through Yubaraj Shahi. But Saraswoti restored the parity two minutes later through Nigerian forward Francis Okechukwu Onyeama. The remaining time finished without any goal, pushing the match to the spotkick.  

Glovesman Pradip Bhandari starred for Saraswoti in the tiebreaker saving two spot kicks. Bhandari, who also won man-of-the-match award, denied Raju Ale and Rupesh Khatri while the departmental team’s Santosh KC, Ashis Shakya and Yubaraj Shahi alls converted their spot kicks. Foreign recruit Victor, Ramesh Ghising, Tirtha Basnet and Sabin Khadka scored from the spots while Sushil Shrestha was denied by Army goalie.

Saraswoti won Rs 300,000 while Army collected Rs 200,000. Saraswoti dominated the individual award with its veteran player Raj Kumar Ghising scooping best player award. He was rewarded with Rs 25,000. Saraswoti’s Bhandari won the best goalkeeper award while his teammate Ousala Ibrahim won the best defender honour. Pradip Nepal, also of  Saraswoti, was declared the best coach. Army’s Bhagwan Shrestha was named the best midfielder and Bikram Bishankhe the best forward. All of them were rewarded with Rs 10,000 each.

All Nepal Football Association president Karma Tsering Sherpa among other distributed prizes to the winners. In all 10 teams participated in the tournament organised by Bagmati Rural Municipality.