Nepali international Bharat Khawas marked his debut from Army team with a goal in the injury time of first half after Nawayug Shrestha had put the team ahead in the 18th minute. [break]Two goals came from Tanka Basnet and one from Jeetendra Karki sealed the rout five minutes from time.
In the day´s kick off match, APF scored two early goals within 15 minutes but Friends clawed back into the game to tie it up with a goal in either half. As the match seemed headed for a draw, APF´s Bhim Bahadur Shrestha netted the match winner nine minutes from time to earn the victory for APF.
With the victory, APF went to the top of the group A with three points while Three Star Club and Madhyapur Youth Association are jointly in second positions with one point each. Friends are at the bottom of the table with no points. All of them have played one match each.
In course of scoring early goals, APF benefited by the lackluster performance of inexperienced Friends goalkeeper Birendra Chand. Ganesh Lawati put the team ahead with a feeble shot from the area as the teenager goalie looked hapless.
Shyam Kumar Nepal doubled the advantage in the 14th minute with a header, as the Friends with four Nepali internationals, including skipper Sagar Thapa struggled to find the goal.
Azad Pradhan cut the deficit for Friends in the 27th minute as he headed to send the ball into net on the club´s new signing Nirajan Khadka´s cross. Deepak Gurung got back the equalizer for Friends in the 69th minute with a flick header from skipper Thapa´s freekick.
But APF´s determination for victory materialized in the 81st minute when Bhim Bahadur Shrestha headed the winner for the departmental team. Shrestha made a diving header in Sudip Shikhrakhar´s right flank freekick to stun the goalie.
Sudip Shikrakar of Nepal APF Club vies for ball against Nirajan Khadka (blue) of Friends Club during the Ncell Cup Football Tournament at Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu on Sunday. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
"I was confident of beating APF, but the weaknesses of goalie cost us dearly. Though the U-16 goalie is good in his age category, he is not confident with the senior team," Friends coach Dil Kaji Gurung, the former coach of APF said during the post match conference.
APF coach Janak Singh Tharu also blamed goalie for conceding both the goals and said his side were slightly ahead of the other teams in the group as it was the only team to earn full three points.
In the day´s late match, the muddy ground favored the muscular and fit Army players in its hammering over NRT coached by Raju Shakya. The current Army coach Yogembar Suwal is the former coach of NRT while Shakya was the coach of the army team during previous season.
In the one sided match, Nawayug Shrestha opened the account for Army in the 10th minute. Bharat Khawas doubled the advantage with a fine header from the area in cross of Tek Bahadur Budhotaki during added time of first half.
Nine minutes into second half, Tanka Basnet scored third goal with a left footed strike from the arch. Basnet again succeeded to net the fourth goal from the right flank as diving custodian Raju Yogi failed to grip the ball which deflected at him before taking the direction of post. Former NRT defender Jeetendra Karki sealed the victory in the 85th as Sagar Gurung, NRT´s substitute goalie slipped a freekick taken by Karki.
Regarding arrival of forward Khawas in the Army team, coach Suwal said, "Khawas is a good player and his arrival has enhanced the team spirit."
Following his side´s drubbing, NRT coach Raju Shakya commented that his side conceded silly goals due to goalkeeper´s mistake. "We still have a chance to make it into the next stage but it will be difficult," Shakya commented.
Meanwhile, ANFA has postponed remaining matches of the Ncell Cup citing to technical reasons until September 21. The matches will resume from Friday. As Nepal is set to host two friendly matches against Bangladesh on Tuesday and Friday, the Ncell Cup matches being held at the Dasharath Stadium were called off to host the friendlies and prepare the ground.
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