The second match of the day between Three Star and NRT all the excitement one could expect in a thrilling football match. In the entertaining match, NRT came from a goal deficit and made the score 2-1 at one point, but Three Star leveled the scoring and the match settled for a draw. [break]
Three Star took the charge of the match in the 27th minute. NRT´s defender Jeetendra Karki´s diving header inside box to deny Biraj Maharjan´s shot took the direction of post stunning goalie Binay Shrestha. However, match officials awarded the goal to Maharjan. There weren´t any attractive moves from both the sides in the remaining time of the first half.
NRT bounced back in the second half and made the score 1-1 in the very first minute of the second half. Roshan Lamichhane beat Three Star custodian Kiran Chemjong on the pass of NRT hero Sushil KC who sprinted the ball a long way before setting it for Lamichhane.
KC made it 2-1 for NRT in the 68th minute beating an advancing goalie Chemjong and sending the ball in the open net utilizing a free kick from Jeeten Karki.
NRT was near to victory when it conceded the equalizer due to the blunder of its defender Raghu Prajapati whose header in a bid to clear the ball went straight into unmarked Buddha Chemjong´s feet. Without wasting the opportunity, Chemjong quickly beat his only obstacle, NRT goalie Shrestha and settled the match 2-2.
"The second goal was a big blunder by our senior player," said NRT coach Raju Shakya after the match, adding, his side failed to play properly in the first half. He also complained of hard ground surface.
After taking the 2-1 lead, NRT resorted to defensive strategy and came under constant pressure. However, coach Shakya refused to accpet that his side put up a defensive show. "We did not play defensive match. The boys should have held the lead," said Shakya.
Though both the sides failed to make many remarkable attempts on the target, they put up a beautiful show. Three Star could have won the match when Bikram Lama´s bouncing header in the 88th minute had not sailed inches above bar on Bikash Singh Chhetri´s cross.
During the Martyrs Memorial League, held some five months earlier, Three Star had defeated NRT 1-0.
The Three Star, which was expected to field four Nigerian players, were without any of them. According to coach Meghraj KC, the Nigerians are in the process to get work permit.
KC also expressed happiness towards the result. "We were near to defeat and I am happy that we settled for a draw." He also lamented for not achieving the target of winning every match.
Earlier in the day´s kick off, Gerard Mukonza scored the lone goal in Jawalakhel´s victory over Army to avenge the defeat suffered during the Safal Cup in Pokhara held a couple of months earlier. In the Martyrs Memorial League, they had played 1-1 draw.
Mukonza, the African recruit for Jawalakhel, who had scored 10 goals in 14 appearances for Jawalakhel in Martyrs Memorial League, gave an early 17th minute lead, which turned to be the decider.
In the drab show, Mukonza quickly sent the ball past the net utilizing Raj Paudel´s header through a shot taken by Bishal Rai (jersy no 9) from the corner flag. Jawalakhel got the corner after Army custodian and skipper Bikash Malla had punched away Rai´s brilliant free kick taken from 25-yard.
The departmental team looked helpless and was dominated from the very beginning. Both the sides faced the problem of coordination. Army created few chances only during last ten minute of the match.
In the 28th minute, Mukonza hit inches wide from the box in Karna Limbu´s pass with only goalie to beat. Similarly, Limbu failed to beat goalie in one-versus-one with Army custodian Malla in the second half while Suraj Thing´s shot rebounded from pole during the stoppage time.
Army´s first impressive post attempt came in the 83rd minute through Amrit Basnet but it went wide hitting pole. Similarly, armyman Tanak Basnet´s right flank shot from open position sailed inches above bar and Hiranya Magar´s header during stoppage time received same fate.
Despite the win, jawalakhel coach Kishor KC was not satisfied with his sides´ performance. "The boys were able to put up only half of their potential," said KC.
Army coach Yogambar Suwal complanied that the time to conduct the match was not favorable. "How can players play at 12:00 noon? That is the time when they eat," said Suwal, who lamented for his side not utilizing scoring chances.
Sunday´s Fixture
Yeti Himalayan Sherpa Vs RCT
Nepal Police Vs Mitramilan
Related story
Chyasal wins B Division title, NRT back to top flight
