KATHMANDU, Dec 22: It was a day for the underdogs as three of the bottom four clubs won their respective games in the ongoing Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League on Friday. 

Strugglers Machhindra Club and New Road Team managed to register their first wins of the tournament, while Friends Club made a comeback win over 10-man Himalayan Sherpa Club. 

In the first match played at the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex at Satdobato, Lalitpur, Machhindra defeated Saraswati Youth Club 4-2 despite going 1-0 down inside the first five minutes. It has registered its first win in the league while it was defeated by the departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) Club three days ago when the former scored the first of its goal in the league.

Saraswati took the lead in the fourth minute as Sanjaya Rajbahak turned the ball into his own net trying to clear a corner kick. 

Saraswati’s lead could not last very long though as Machhindra captain Bishal Rai headed in a corner taken by Vassadia Diamande in the 16th minute. 

It was all Machhindra after that as Diamande turned on a brilliant performance as he gave his team a lead scoring in a counter attack in the 20th minute.

Machhindra kept on attacking Saraswati mostly in counter attack, and Anil Gurung doubled its lead in the 25th minute by heading in a cross from Bibek Pandit. 

Saraswati pulled back the game to 3-2 as Francis Okechukwu Onyeama headed the ball into the net following a cross from Victor Amobi Ozoanubueze in the 36th minute. 

Saraswati then started to attack more to get back into the game in the first half, but Sabin Khadka could not equalize as he missed a one vs one. 

Saraswati kept on doing more of the same, but missed another chance as Amobi passed the ball to Francis, but his volleyed effort hit the cross bar and went out in the 53rd minute. 

Machhindra then added another goal in the injury time to send the game beyond all doubt as Bikash Rai scored from the spot. Machhindra was awarded the penalty after Suman Lama fouled Khamir Glishan Kandangwa inside the box. 

With the win, Machhindra has ended its barren run without a win and has garnered six points and is at the 12th place, while Saraswati suffered its sixth loss of the season with 10 points and is at the ninth place. 

In the other game played later on the same day, Friends also came back from 1-0 behind to defeat Himalayan Sherpa 1-2. 

Himalayan Sherpa had gone ahead as Goha Patrick Privat gave his team the lead in the 27th minute as his relatively fickle shot was not properly judged by Friends keeper Dev Limbu, and the second choice keeper could not save the ball going in. 

Friends instantly replied back as Sanjog Maharjan scored an exceptional goal at the other end to pull the game back to its way. 

Both the teams failed to add more goals in the first half despite creating a lot of chances as they could not find the net despite having back to back shots on target. Some good defending at both the ends prevented both the teams from scoring in the first period. 

Friends had a man advantage as Himalayan Sherpa’s Ashish Gurung was sent off for misconduct as he kicked Friends’ Maharjan in the 80th minute. Referee Shyam Danuwar wasted no time in showing him the second yellow card and he was given a marching order. He became the fourth player in the league to have been sent off so far. 

Friends then kept on attacking looking for its second goal, and a one man advantage surely helped the team as Jivan Gurung scored in the 88th minute to make a comeback win for the team. 

Friends got the ball back from Himalayan Sherpa and instantly worked on the counter attack which saw Gurung score the winning goal two minutes from time. 

With the win, Friends has accumulated eight points from 10 games and is at the 11th place, while Himalayan Sherpa suffered its fourth loss of the season and is at the sixth place with 14 points from the same number of games. 

Also, at the APF’s Halchowk Stadium, two goals in either side of the halves helped New Road Team end its winless run with a 2-1 victory over Jawalakhel Youth Club. 
New Road took the lead in the 34th minute as Kouassi Jean hit a shot which was deflected on the way and went in. The team added its second goal in the 57th minute as Sushil Lama hit a shot from the penalty box leaving Jawalakhel keeper Tekendra Thapa ball watching. 

Despite getting a goal back just a minute after that, Jawalakhel could not prevent the loss. Suman Dangol scored a goal in the 58th minute after a hustle inside the penalty box and he took advantage of a poor defensive display from the opposition. 

Despite the win, New Road is still languishing at the bottom of the table with four points from 10 games, while Jawalakhel has dropped down to the 10th place with eight points from the same number of games.
 

 
• Martyr's_Memorial_A-Division_League