The match ended in tiebreaker as the regulation time and extra time both remained goalless. [break]
In the tiebreaker, HSC goalkeeper Binay Shrestha saved the spot kick by RCT´s Naresh KC while Pukar Gahatraj, Rupesh KC, Dinesh Karki, Biswas Shrestha and Ganesh Khadka scored for the HSC. Yugal Kishor Rai, Olawal Oladipo Afeez, Krishna Kunwar and Dilip Chhetri scored for RCT from the spot during the tiebreaker.
RCT forward Afeez was adjudged man-of-the-match.
Both the teams failed to convert chances into scores during the regulation time and extra time.
HSC goalkeeper Shrestha saved a brilliant shot from RCT forward Afeez and defender Sachindra Dhimal cleared the rebound in the ninth minute. In the 62nd minute, Deepak Thapa crossed to Dipesh Thapa Magar, who made an acrobatic attempt, but the ball hit the crossbar.
Subas Limbu cleared the ball from the goal line in the 98th minute to deny Afeez from scoring and Naresh Khatri´s shot in Afeez´s pass in the 112th minute went inches wide.
RCT´s Krishna Kunwar cleared the ball from goal line in the 17th minute to deny HSC´s Dhiroj Tamang from scoring. RCT goalkeeper Dilip Chhetri punched a shot of Ganesh Khadka in Tamang´s pass in the 35th minute. Khadka missed another opportunity in the 90th minute, as he could not utilize a pass from Dinesh Karki.
"Our finishing line failed to utilize chances and it was a bad luck to lose a match despite creating a number of chances and maintaining a superb ball possession," said RCT coach Baiju Kapali. He argued that his team could not have good training session as players directly joined the team in Pokhara after the Dashain break.
Newly appointed HSC coach Megharaj KC expressed his delight on winning the match. "Our boys labored and displayed patience to play for 120 minutes and it finally paid off," said KC.
Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club will lock horns with Armed Police Force (APF) on Saturday in the first quarterfinal match.
Related story
Sanima General Insurance and Yeti Airlines introduce ‘Yeti Extr...
