POKHARA, Feb 27: Just a day after defeating Nepal Police Club to lift the 21st Tilottama Gold Cup football tournament to take its title tally to three this season, Cameroon’s Dauphins Football Club has caused another upset to the departmental team by winning the game 2-1 to advance into the semifinals of the ongoing 17th Aaha Rara Gold Cup in Pokhara on Tuesday.
In the last quarterfinal match played at Pokhara Stadium, Dauphins stunned Police by defeating it 2-1 in the extra time, who has quite a history in the Aaha Rara Gold Cup. It was the first game of Dauphins in the tournament.
After failing to win Khaptad Gold Cup, Dauphins has won the Manakamana Cable Car Pokhara Cup, Budha Subba Gold Cup in Dharan, and Tilottama in Butwal.
Now, Dauphins will take on the other departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club in the semifinals.
Dauphins took the lead in the 37th minute of the match as Ahanda Asah Loyas hit a corner, and was turned home by Biek Biek with his chest.
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Police looked really incapable to present an effective performance in the quarterfinal. Police has now lost three times against the Cameroonian team. Despite playing good football, the team has failed to match with the physical capabilities of the African players.
Despite some weakness to play well against Dauphins, Police had some chances to score. Man Bahadur Pariyar hit a free-kick in the 26th minute, but the header from Suman Subedi went wide off the target.
Nir Kumar Rai hit a flick shot which was not going to the target. But even on a second chance moments later, Tirtha Magar could not get a good shot to score after getting the ball.
Dauphins’ physical superiority was always getting better than Police’s young spirit. The first goal scorer of the match Biek Biek was named the man of the match and was rewarded with Rs 5,000.
But Police got a goal back in the first minute of the injury time to send the game into extra time. Subedi scored for the team to keep Police’s semifinal hopes alive. He headed in a free-kick from Suman Lama to boost Police’s confidence.
Additional 20 minutes were given after the regulation time resulted in 1-1 draw.
Even the extra time disappointed Police as Dauphins came on top over the departmental team yet again. The Cameroonian team, now proving to be a heavyweight in Nepali football, needed only four minutes of the extra time to score. Yannick restored Dauphins’ parity.
The hopes of reaching the semifinals looked grim just like the faces of Police players at the end of the first half in extra time.
Police’s day went from bad to worse as it ended the game with 10 men, following a direct red card for Hari Kathayat near the end of the extra time. It was the first red card of the tournament.
With the game, the quarterfinal matches have been completed. Three Star Club will take on the other departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) Club in the first semifinal match on Wednesday.
