Subash Gurung A and Akeen O Babatunda scored in either half for NRT, while Bhim Darlami cut the goal deficit for RCT with a late strike. RCT´s Yugal Kishor Rai was sent off in the 81st minute. [break]
NRT´s third win from four matches in the super league lifted it one spot to second with 35 points, four points behind leader Three Star. MMC dropped one spot to third with three matches to play. RCT remained unchanged in the seventh place with only one win from four matches.
"If we win the remaining matches as well we have a chance of winning the title," NRT coach Diken Suwal said during the post-match conference. NRT will face Army, Friends and MMC in the remaining matches of the league. "None of the teams has performed consistently," said Suwal. "Any outcome is possible and we can expect winning results if the players put in all their efforts."
Though Suwal was happy with the points earned by his team, he expressed dissatisfaction over the performance. "They were not able to perform to their potential," said Suwal.
Subash Gurung A put NRT ahead with a spectacular finish after he hit a half-volley from the danger zone in a cross from his namesake, Subash Gurung B, from the left flank. NRT doubled the advantage 20 seconds into the second half when its African player Babatunda scored at the far post in a one-on-one with custodian Dilip Chhetry. Babatunda was also set up by Gurung B.
"The second goal conceded in the beginning of the second half put us under pressure," RCT coach Madhu Karki said. "Despite coming up with a better performance in the first half, we failed to score."
NRT tested RCT custodian Dilip Chhetry in the very first minute when he had to make a long stretched dive to block Segun Akinado´s strike from the arch and then prevented Gurung B´s shot on the rebound. In the 20th minute, Chhetry again denied Akinado´s strike from 20 yards.
RCT replied in the second minute, but Dipesh Thapa Magar´s close-range strike in Komal Khawas´ pass was saved by custodian Raju Yogi. Despite playing with a man down, RCT cut the goal deficit in the 87th minute when Darlami scored into the far post with a well-placed shot from the danger zone after a keepie-uppie.
Earlier, RCT´s Yugal Kishor Rai was given marching orders by referee Shrawan Lama in the 81st minute for his dangerous tackle on Olaide R Ibrahim.
Thursday´s match
Friends Vs Machhindra
Time: 15:30 NST
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