Madhyapur had started the league on a high note holding defending champion Nepal Police Club to a 1-1 draw in its first match. However, the only club from Bhaktapur has only seven points after the completion of the 10th round.[break]
"We were overwhelmed by the team´s Ncell Cup performance. We had expected a similar performance in the league as well," said Upendra Man Singh, the coach and president of Madhyapur. "However, the boys failed to live up to the expectations. We made a miscalculation. Had we any inkling of the current situation, we would have enrolled more foreign players," he added.
He said the defeat against Saraswati has left them a slim chance of avoiding relegation. "We have five more matches. In this scenario, the club management cannot do anything and everything depends on the players´ performance now," said Singh.
Saraswati´s foreign recruit Yona Elias Mdabila scored a brace to upset Madhyapur.
An unmarked Elias headed home in a cross from Geofrey Boney Mammandu to open the scoring in the 28th minute. Elias doubled the lead in the 60th minute utilizing a cross from Krishna Gopal Shrestha.
He had a chance to put his team 3-0 up a minute later but was denied by Madhyapur goalkeeper Bikesh Kuthu in a one-on-one situation.
Madhyapur created a single dangerous move in the entire match but Saraswati goalkeeper Ashok Baral saved a shot from Nirajan Rayamajhi from the edge of the danger area.
Saraswati has 11 points and is in the 11th position on the points table after the completion of the 10th round.
"The win was important to avoid relegation threat. However, we still can´t relax," said Pradeep Nepal, the coach of Saraswati.
Machhindra climbs to second place
High-flying NMB Machhindra Club pulled off a 2-0 victory over neighboring CMG Club Sankata on Tuesday to climb to the second place.
Machhindra has 23 points from 10 matches, two points behind leader Three Star and two points ahead of third-placed Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club. Despite the loss, Sankata remained in the seventh place with 16 points.
Karna Limbu and Bishal Rai A scored a goal each to seal the seventh victory for Machhindra in the ongoing league.
Limbu scored the first goal in the dying minutes of the first half as he directed a pass from Bishal Rai B into the net. Machhindra made one after another attack and succeeded in doubling the tally in the 56th minute. Bishal Rai A scored in a sublime pass from Deepak Rai.
Limbu and Rai A missed a couple of chances to widen the gap in the second half while Sankata goalkeeper Pierre Hearve blocked two stunning free-kicks off Deepak Rai in the first half.
Sankata hardly threatened Machhindra.
"It was an expected result," said Raju Kaji Shakya, the coach of Machhindra. Shakya also claimed that his team has the chance to finish at the top of the table before going to the super-eight round. Shakya argued that his team has relatively easier matches compared to those of leader Three Star. Three Star is yet to face teams like Manang Marshyangdi, Nepal Police and Nepal Army whereas Machhindra has matches against relegation-threatened teams like Bauddha, Mahindra Bansbari and Saraswati.
"If we can keep up the performance, we can climb to the top. However, we cannot afford to take any game lightly," said Shakya.
Wednesday´s Matches
Nepal Police Vs RCT @ 12:30
NRT Vs Himalayan Sherpa @ 14:30
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