MMC defeated NMB Bank Machhhindra Club 3-0 in the day´s early kick-off while Three Star edged past McDowell´s Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) 2-0 in the late match.[break]
Saturday´s victory for Three Star meant that it could emerge champion if it wins one of its two remaining matches. Three Star is yet to play against Machhindra Club and Nepal Army Club in the super league.
The win gave Three Star a five-point cushion at the top of the points table. After playing equal 20 matches, Three Star has 42 points while MMC, which climbed one spot to second, has 37 points. New Road Team (NRT) dropped one spot to third with 35 points but has a match advantage over them. MMC and NRT still have a chance to win the title but their fate will depend on the outcomes of Three Star´s matches.
Three Star players celebrate goal. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
"Today´s victory has boosted our confidence," said Three Star coach Pradip Humagain, adding, "But we still have two matches to play and mathematically we can not rest assured. We want to become champions winning both the remaining matches."
Bijay Gurung and Adewumi Femi scored before the interval in Three Star´s win over RCT, which has lost four of its five games in the super league. The defeat left RCT unchanged in the seventh position with 29 points.
Gurung, left unmarked, put Three Star ahead in the third minute with a superb one-touch strike from the six-yard box in Victor´s cross. Femi doubled the advantage in the 40th minute after a freekick taken by the Sierra Leonean forward from the edge of the area deflected off RCT defender Krishna Kunwar to enter the net.
Besides this, Bishnu Gurung and Bikram Lama´s late strikes were denied by goalie Chhetry. Earlier, in the injury time of first half, RCT´s Komal Khawas cleared Femi´s header from the goalline.
"We conceded an early goal which turned to be a setback. It is difficult to bounce back in the match after conceding early goals against stronger teams," RCT coach Madhu Karki said during the post-match conference.
In the first match, MMC´s Cameroonian forward Fils Sergio Chico netted two second half goals in its 3-1 win over Machhindra. The defeat leaves Machhindra unchanged in the fifth position with 32 points.
Three Star vs RCT. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
Skipper Anil Gurung, returning after a match suspension, gave a 28th minute lead to MMC. Gurung scored a perfect header from the six-yard box in an acute cross from Sulav Maskey from the right flank.
Chico doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half collecting custodian Dinesh Thapa Magar´s rebounder.
Chico sealed the victory with a skilful display after he collected the ball released by custodian Emmanuel Dare, dribbled past Devendra Tamang and shot from the area sending the ball beneath diving custodian Thapa Magar´s arm.
MMC´s Shiva Shrestha missed a scoring chance in the 27th minute firing wide from the danger zone. In the 35th, Chico fired off the target while goalie Thapa Magar denied Nirajan Malla in the 41st.
Machhindra´s skipper Dipak Rai´s powerful shot in the fifth minute was denied by custodian Dare who prevented three simultaneous attacks from Serge Yonnick Fouda, skipper Rai and Bishal Rai A in the 52nd minute. Two minutes before the end, Dare made a brilliant save to deny Rai A in a one-on-one situation.
Sunday´s matches
NRT Vs Army @ 13:30 NST
Friends Vs Police @ 15:30 NST
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