Dharan looks to break Sahara jinx

POKHARA, Jan 30: Dharan Football Club, which has always suffered defeat at the hands of host Sahara Club, will be looking to break the jinx when it takes on Sahara during the inaugural match of the 10th Aaha Gold Cup Football Tournament in Pokhara, Kaski on Tuesday.



Host Sahara has also set an ambitious target of keeping the winners trophy at home this time around. Sahara has not won the title so far. The winner of Tuesday´s match will play against I-League side Pune FC. [break]



Dharan has featured in all past editions of the tournament -- except for the eighth -- and crashed out to host Sahara from the very first round on each occasion. Dharan did not compete in the eighth edition as the Budhasubba Gold Cup was held in Dharan during the same time.



Dharan´s captain Sagar Ghimire said his side will definitely be under pressure when it takes on the host on its home ground. "But this time we are well-prepared to avenge the defeats suffered in all the previous editions," Ghimire said, adding, "This time our team is studded with experienced players from top flight clubs. Therefore we are confident of defeating the home team."



Dharan will feature more than half-a-dozen players from top-flight clubs including Binay Shrestha, Prakash Budhathoki, Suwarna Samekham, Santosh Tamang, Santosh Singh, Rajan Rawal and Santosh Shrestha.



In the last edition, Dharan was defeated 2-1 by Sahara. But a couple of months ago, Dharan had humiliated Sahara 5-1 during the Udayapur Gold Cup.



Sahara coach Kiran Shrestha, however, denied that Dharan could be an obstacle in Sahara´s title dreams. Shrestha claimed that his side, studded with spirited youth and experienced players, has set no other target than winning the title. Sahara has made it to the semifinals on six occasions. In the last edition it was defeated by Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) in the semifinal.



Sahara will be led by Bishnu KC and will feature Sushil KC, Rajan Adhikari, Subash Gurung, Govinda Thapa, Man Bahadur Tamang, Ajit Bhandari, Sunil BK, Buddha Lama and two Nigerian players. "The Sahara players are experienced as many of them have played for top-flight clubs. We will put up an aggressive show from the beginning of the match."



Altogether 12 teams, including two foreign teams -- African United and Pune FC -- are competing in the 10th Aaha Gold Cup. National champion Nepal Police Club, Mega Three Star Club, MMC, Yeti Airlines Himalayan Sherpa Club, Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club, Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT), Dharan, Rupandehi XI, ANFA U-17 and host Sahara are the other teams competing in the tournament. Aaha instant noodles, a product of Himshree Foods Private Limited, is the tournament´s main sponsor.

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