A goal from Feni Joshua and an own goal by Saroj Koirala within the first 20 minutes of the ninth round match were enough for Three Star to emerge as the league leader. [break]Third and fourth placed MMC and Machhindra, who have a match advantage over the leader and who play on Friday, will not be able to replace Three Star from the top.
Three Star, unbeaten in the last eight matches with 22 points, derailed leader RCT with 20 points to second position. APF dropped one spot to 12th with ninth points. Jawalakhel with its third victory leapfrogged three spots up to ninth with 11 points and Saraswati remained unchanged in the relegation border with eight points.
Bijay Gurung of Three Star Club (Photo: Bikash Karki)
Three Star´s Sierra Leone forward Feni Joshua opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he brilliantly made a one-touch strike from the area in Bikram Limbu´s freekick. Winger Bijay Gurung made a powerful low strike from the area beating defender Sudip Shrestha to double the tally. But referee Sudish Pandey ruled it as an own goal by APF defender Saroj Koirala.
In the 62nd minute, defender Koirala prevented APF from conceding another goal when he headed from the goal-line to defend Victor´s powerful shot from the area to an unattended post. APF goalie Bikram Gurung was yet to take his position moments after he had vied one-on-one with Biraj Maharjan.
APF that had defeated Three Star 4-0 in the last edition of the league played on its home ground could not create any move. Three Star´s coach Pradip Humagain said his side did not play with the same pace after the interval.
Three Star vs APF (Photo: Bikash Karki)
APF coach Janak Singh Tharu said the match became tougher for his side as they had expected. "It became more difficult for us after conceding early goals and our strategy of 5-3-2 also did not work."
In the late match, Kenyan forward Juma Benlee and birthday boy Raj Paudel scored during the second half to seal Jawalakhel victory over Saraswati to ease its relegation pressure. Benlee broke the deadlock from the six-yard box six minutes into the second half in a pass from former Nepali international Pradip Maharjan.
Earlier in the 13th minute Benlee had squandered a scoring chance as he chipped inches wide from the area capitalizing on a defensive error by defender Ganesh BK.
Paudel, who turned 23 on Thursday, doubled the advantage beating an offside trap and then scoring on the far post with a low strike from the right side.
"I want to dedicate the goal as my birthday gift to the coach and the club," said Paudel, adding. "I was determined to score today and I was confident of scoring as soon as I got the pass from Jaggu Nath Khadka."
Jawalakhel´s African player John Dike wasted another scoring chance in the 74th minute as he fired inches wide in a one-on-one situation.
Earlier, Krishna Gopal Shrestha of Saraswati wasted a chance as he shot straight at goalie Sanam Ferland´s hand from close range. In the 32nd minute, Ferland stopped Yona Elias Ndabila´s brilliant shot in a similar fashion. In the 64th minute, Olawal Usaman Olumide´s powerful shot rebounded off the bar after goalie Ferland had got his hands on the ball.
Jawalakhel coach Kishor KC opined that it was a vital match and will boost the team´s morale. "We have matches with similar teams in the future and the win will boost our confidence."
Saraswati´s assistant coach Pradip Nepal, who appeared in the post-match conference as coach Dhruba KC was banned for one match for avoiding the conference after his team´s defeat in the last match against Himalayan Sherpa, said a missed scoring chance in the first half became the turning point of the match. "We definitely have relegation pressure and the outcome of the next match against Madhyapur will be vital."
Friday´s matches
MMC Vs Machhindra @ 12:30 NST
Sankata Vs Madhyapur @ 14:30 NST
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