With both goals coming from skipper Sagar Thapa in either half, Sherpa edged past minnow PLO Mitramilan Club of Dharan. Raju Tamang and Nawayug Shrestha scored one each in the second half for Army´s win over Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT).[break]
With the result, Sherpa leapfrogged thee spots to third position with seven points and Army progressed to fourth from eighth. Army has six points after second win.
RCT with four points dropped two spots below to sixth.Mitramilan remained unchanged in ninth place with one point.
All the teams have played four matches apiece.
Defender Sagar Thapa, also the skipper of Nepali national team put Sherpa ahead in the 21st minute against Mitramilan. Thapa scored out of a scuffle from close range utilizing a corner taken by Pukar Gahatraj. Thapa doubled the tally with a well placed freekick from the arch of box. Sherpa was awarded with the freekick after Gahatraj was stumbled by Yakindra Karki.
Though Shepra dominated the match and piled up consistence pressure, Mitramilan also put up a spirited show and made a couple of brilliant post attacks. In a bid to hit back the consolation, Nir Kumar Rai´s powerful attempt for Mitramilan rebounded off the pole in the 81st minute.
Ashish Rai was denied by Sherpa goalie Bikesh Kutu in the 42nd minute and Lile Magar´s header sailed inches above the bar in the 14th minute.
Sherpa had made nearly a dozen of post charges and saw its four attempts hit the woodwork. Second half substitute Deepak Rai hit the woodwork twice and Jagjeet Shrestha´s 44th minute freekick rebounded off the pole.
Similarly, Ritesh Malla´s tight angle low ball shot rebounded off the pole in ninth minute. Sherpa´s Korean recruit Jangbyoung Joo hit above bar early in the fifth minute.
When asked regarding the unsuccessful post charges of his forwards, Sherpa coach Upendra Man Singh, also the assistant coach of the national side said, player of any position can score in modern football. "The win we achieved was vital and the team combination and understanding among players was improving in every other match."
Mitramilan coach Sagar Ghimire pointed out weaknesses in finishing of his side. He also lauded his team´s performance. "Either a draw or a low margin defeat was the team´s target and we achieved it," said Ghimire, who plays professional football for Kathmandu based A division outfit Friends Club. Earlier in the day´s first kick off, national team midfielder Raju Tamang opened the scoring for Army against the run of match in 63rd minute.
Tamang controlled a pass of Tek Bahadur Budhatoki and made a well placed semi-volley strike to stun RCT goalie Dilip Chhetri who was substituted in the 74th minute after he sustained tendon injury in his right leg. He was replaced by Prem Kumar Tamang.
Nawayug Shrestha, also the highest scorer of the league, scored another in the stoppage time of the match to take his goals tally to five goals.
Shrestha tapped in the ball from six yards after Tanka Basnet´s attempt was rolling off the target. Shrestha had scored four goals during Army´s win over Sangam Club of Pokhara. Bhola Silwal of Nepal Police is behind Shrestha with three goals in his name.
RCT had dominated the ball possession and the show before conceding the goal. RCT had made two post attempts in the first half unlike Army, which got goal in its very first post attempt. But RCT lost control of the match as soon as it conceded the first goal.
RCT could have taken lead in the 50th minute had Olawale O Afeez´s 50th minute strike not rebounded off the cross bar. Afeez´s another attempt in the 64th minute from close range skied after it deflected off Army´s Hiranya Magar. In the 15th minute, Dipesh Thapa Magar´s strike from the box in a one-on-one position was denied by custodian Bikash Malla.
Army coach Yogambar Suwal said that the performance of his side was improving. "The moral of the team rose high after scoring the first goal," Suwal said.
RCT coach Madhu Karki said that his team was defeated after players failed to utilize scoring opportunities. He also blamed defense for conceding the first goal.
Home team Sangam Club will take on Three Star Club and Manang Marshyandi Club (MMC) will lock horns with Jawalakhel Youth Club on Sunday.
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