Nepal Police Club moved within a point of leaders Manang Marshyangdi
Club (MMC) after a 2-0 win over Sankata SC in an entertaining match of
the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division League at the Dashrath Stadium
on Tuesday.
Forward Jumanu Rai’s close-range header put NPC ahead in the 64th
minute before Bharat Shah secured all three points for the departmental
side with a strike five minutes into second half extra time.
NPC now have 25 points after 13 games, a point behind MMC but with a
game in hand. Defending champions Three Star Club are third with 24
points from 12 games, with Sankata in fourth with 22 points from 13
games.
Sankata, who have the best defensive record in the league so far
conceding just six goals in their previous 12 games, held the
departmental side at bay in the first-half. NPC defender Ajit Bhandari
went close to scoring when his shot flied inches over the bar in the
41st minute.
The game opened up after the interval with both teams searching for a
lead. Sankata had a golden opportunity to go ahead in the 63rd minute.
But Rajeev Gurung blasted his shot wide from close range after Kalu
Thapa’s optimistic long range effort found the striker unmarked.
A minute later Sankata were punished for the glaring miss when
substitute Rai headed home on a Bhola Silwal’s corner, leaving Sankata
shot-stopper Pierre Herve helpless.
With Sankata pressing forward for an equaliser, NPC looked menacing on
the counter attack and created a string of opportunities in the dying
moments of the game. Rai wasted a one-on-one situation with Herve four
minutes into added time and moments later Silwal’s powerful strike from
the edge of the area crashed against the cross-bar.
But a minute on, NPC’s Silwal released a through ball to Shah who
calmly slotted the ball home beating custodian Herve to secure the win.
“Our performance was not brilliant but we managed to take all three
points,” a pleased NPC coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said after the
match.
“We struggled with possession throughout the game which made it
difficult for us to create chances. We must do more with ball if we are
to keep pressure on the likes of MMC and Three Star,” added Shrestha.
Sankata coach Raju Kaji Shakya expressed disappointment with the
defeat, urging his side to continue improving in their remaining games.
“We did well to check on their strikers during the game. But it was
careless on part of our players to a goal from a set piece which cost
us the game.” “We must try to win each of the four remaining games to
finish as high as possible,” added Shakya.
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