MMC had finished runner-up in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League last season while Tusal is the B Division League runner-up.
In the day´s late match, Army Club edged past CMG Sankata Club 2-0 as Kashi Raj Karki and Raju Tamang scored for the departmental team.
Army, which was without four first choice players including forward Bharat Khawas due to departmental training and injuries, opened the scoring in the 24th minute. Karki received a cross from Tek Bahadur Budhathoki and sent it home. [break]
Tamang doubled the lead a minute before half-time. Sankata goalkeeper Dipesh Yadav punched a shot from Karki but Tamang scored on the rebound from close range.
Army created a few chances in the second half but could not convert them. "We have new players in the team replacing four first choice players and we are yet to set as a team," said Army coach Yogambar Suwal.
Despite the defeat, Sankata coach Shyam Mali applauded the team´s performance. "It was a good performance as we had prepared for a short period only," said Mali. He also admitted that it would be tough for his side to qualify for the next round.
Earlier, Anil Gurung scored four goals alone as MMC sealed an emphatic 12-0 victory over Tusal. Yona Elias and Rupesh KC scored two goals each while Nabin Neupane, Sujal Shrestha, Deepak Rai and Shiva Shrestha added a goal each.
MMC opened the account with a goal from veteran defender Neupane in the ninth minute. Tusal goalkeeper Manoj Gurung blocked a shot from Gurung but Neupane scored on the rebound.
Sujal Shrestha made it 2-0 in the 30th minute after receiving a pass from national team captain Sagar Thapa, who returned to MMC from NIBL Friends Club for the new season. Rai added the third goal two minutes later after he was set up by Gurung. Elias scored his first goal in the 36th minute in a one-on-one situation. Two minutes later, Gurung dodged four defenders to make it 5-0 for his team.
MMC added seven goals in the last 15 minutes of the match. Gurung utilized Sulav Maskey´s pass in the 75th minute and completed a hat-trick in the 85th minute in a pass from Shiva Shrestha. Gurung scored his fourth in the 88th minute utilizing Maskey´s pass again. Gurung assisted Elias in the injury time to score the latter´s second goal and also set up Shiva Shrestha in the 86th minute. Rupesh KC scored a brace in the 79th and 81st minutes.
MMC coach Amrit Pant said that his boys produced a better result than expected while Tusal coach Umesh Lama attributed his side´s humiliating defeat to poor defending.
Pant returns to football
MMC coach Amrit Pant was an important member of MMC when the club rose from D division to A division in 2043 BS. After leaving MMC he took charge of Galaxian Club some 15 years ago. Since then, he had been away from football. According to him, he returned to the Dasharath Stadium after 15 years on Sunday.
"I decided to achieve something again in football. The Gurkha Cup will decide whether I´ll stay with MMC or not," said Pant.
Monday´s matches
Himalayan Sherpa Vs Boys Union @ 14:00 NST
Jawalakhel Vs Friends @ 16:00 NST
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