KATHMANDU, Dec 20:A late goal from center back Devendra Tamang ensured Machhindra Club a point as it held Chyasal Youth Club to a 1-1 draw in the ongoing Qatar Airways Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League in Lalitpur on Friday.
In the second league match for both the teams played at the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Satdobato, big-spender Machhindra put its early let offs to side, and held Chyasal to a draw with a 89th minute strike from Tamang.
Machhindra had majority of the chances as it dominated the ball possession. It created multiple chances from all parts of the field, but could not find a way through to get past Alan Neupane.
Despite of the domination, Machhindra went down 1-0 in the first half an hour of the game. Santosh Shahukhala kept his goalscoring momentum from the first game intact to give Chyasal the lead in the 27th minute.
He produced a superb turn inside the box to beat three Machhindra defenders and banged the ball into the net leaving keeper Bishal Shrestha no chance to save the ball.
Last rites of famous climber Shambhu Tamang performed
Later, in the 89th minute, Machhindra’s unmarked Tamang hit a powerful shot from inside the box after receving a pass from Bishal Rai to level the score and shared the spoils of a 1-1 draw.
Machhindra was wasteful in the final third despite fielding a variety of pacy players including Abhishek Rjal, Andres Nia Tchonkue, who played for the first time in the league and also Somide Oluwawunmi Adelaja, a former Manang forward.
It kept on rueing its missed chances and was left frustrated with some good saves from Chyasal goalkeeper Neupane.
Machhindra got an early chance in the third minute of the match as Dipak Rai hit a weak shot which was saved by Neupane, but before anyone could get a follow-up, Chyasal defender Narendra Chaudhary cleared the ball.
The team got another chance just five minutes later as Rijal gave a cross to Somide, but he could not get his header right to tuck it home.
Somide got another chance in the 10th minute, but his shot went wide, while it threw away a glorious chance to level the score in the 30th minute as Rai hit a good shot, but it was punched away to safety by Neupane again.
In the series of missed chances, another one went begging as Ranjit Dhimal hit a free-kick in the 35th minute, but the ball went just wide of the crossbar.
Chyasal had just one notable chance apart from the goal as Sunil Bal hit a shot from outside the box, but the ball went over the bar in the 24th minute.
Machhindra produced more of the same in the second half with domination of the ball, and good chances created, but the forwards failed to utilize them.
Rijal thought he had scored in the 52nd minute when he put the ball inside the post, but referee Shrawan Lama ruled it off for offside. Somide missed another header in the 79th minute after getting a cross from Tchounkue.
Chyasal had a chance to kill the game with its second goal as Japan’s Taiga Nakamura’s free-kick in the last minute of the injury time was brilliantly saved by Machhindra keeper Neupane.
With the result, Chyasal has four points and stands atop in the table, while Machhindra has three points as it had its one point deducted for finishing one place up from the bottom the last season. Chyasal had defeated Sankata Club in the league opener, while Machhindra beat Brigade Boys Club.
In the other match of the day played at the Dasharath Stadium, Brigade Boys Club overcame its league opener disappointment against Machhindra as it defeated Friends Club 2-0.
Two late goals from Jaya Gurung and Roshan Rana Magar sealed the first league win for Brigade this season.
Gurung scored the opener in the game in the 88th minute as his shot from inside the box was not dealt properly by Friends keeper Dev Limbu. Brigade added the second in the first minute of the injury time through Magar.
With the result, Brigade has three points after two games, while Friends is pointless with two straight defeats with the first coming against the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club, 2-1.
On Saturday, Saraswati Youth Club will face Jawalakhel Youth Club at the ANFA Complex, while Sankata Club faces the New Road Team later at the Dasharath Stadium.
