CHITWAN, May 12: Chitwan XI has advanced into the semifinals of the ongoing CMS Bharatpur Gold Cup Football Tournament with 8-7 sudden-death win over the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club in Narayanghat on Saturday.
In the first quarterfinal match at Campachaur, Captain Rumesh Bartaula gave Chitwan the opener in the last minute of the first half, but Army’s Santosh KC equalized for the departmental team in the 80th minute.
Army scores three goals in second half to reach Aaha Rara semis
After the teams failed to score any more goals even after the three added minutes at the end of the regulated time, the game went to tiebreaker. The game then was pushed to sudden-death as both the teams finished 4-4.
In the tiebreaker, Sanjeev Moktan, Raju Ale Magar, KC and Deep Lama scored for Army, while Chitwan keeper Pradip Bhandari saved Bibek Basnet’s shot. Amja Stephen, Penga Bobo, Barshat Gurung and Manoj Rai scored for the winning team, while Andre Yukem’s shot was saved by Army keeper Bishwash Chaudhary.
In sudden-death, Rajesh Paudel, Ishwar Baniya, Dipak Gurung scored for Army, while Hardip Gurung, Binod Tamang, Rumesh Bartaula and Sudhan Chaudhary scored for Chitwan. Army keeper Chaudhary hit the ball over the bar to hand over the win to Chitwan.
Bartaula was named the man of the match. Jhapa XI will take on Chyasal Youth Club in the second quarterfinal match on Sunday.