KATHMANDU, Jan 9: Manang Marshyangdi Club missed a glorious chance to create history in Nepali football of maintaining winning streak until the last as Friends Club defeated the already-declared champion 1-0 halting its winning run in the last round of the Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League in Lalitpur on Tuesday. 

At the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Satdobato, Friends’ Bikash Lama scored the decisive goal in the last minute of the six added on to stop Manang’s winning streak. 

With the loss, Manang failed to maintain its winning streak at the last hurdle and become the first Nepali club to win all its matches in the title winning campaign. Manang had won all its previous 12 matches, but lost the final match and failed to do so.

Manang had some good chances to take the lead throughout the game, but its ineptness in the final third saw it go to the injury time without scoring. Friends got a free-kick near the edge of Manang’s danger area. Anil Maharjan stepped up to take the free-kick and an unmarked Lama provided a good strong header in the 96th minute.

Manang knew it was going to be impossible to make come back from that situation, and with the time all, but over, it could not do anything to take charge toward Friends’ goal, and lost the last match of its league campaign. 

Manang had plenty of good chances to score throughout the game, but could not capitalize on them and also missed some from point blank range. It also got many crosses inside the box, but the Friends defense line made sure the ball won’t reach the attacking Manang players. 

Manang kept on holding the possession in the first half taking most of its attacks from the left flanks. 

Friends kept on showing its brilliant defensive display and tried to hit Manang on the break, but the champion did not let the ball go away from its grasp and quickly changed the tempo to attack well. 

Manang pressed Friends well and got the ball quickly, but none of its attacking efforts were successful. 

Manang did not have many notable attacking tries toward Friends’ goal in the first half. However, its forward Afeez Olawale Oladipo got a header from inside the box, but the ball went off target in the 44th minute. 

Manang got a free-kick late in the first half stoppage time and was headed by Olawale, who got a header back from his teammate, and his follow-up header went in, but was flagged for offside. Olawale was already near the corner flag celebrating, but his celebrations were cut short as the linesman raised his flag. 

Manang started the second half as it ended the first with good attacking display by holding on the possession. 

Manang forward Anjan Bista was in the thick of things with his chances, but he missed a couple of them. He hit a shot from inside the box, but Friends keeper Dev Limbu saved it in the 73rd minute. 

Bista missed a great chance to score as Olawale got the ball inside the box after a good cross. Olawale dribbled past two to three defenders including the goalkeeper, he passed the ball to Bista, but the Nepal national football team member blasted the ball in the 79th minute. 

Heman Gurung took his chance from outside the box for Manang, but his shot grazed over the bar in the second minute of the added time.  

Then, Lama scored the decisive goal to end Manang’s winning run. Manang had won all the 12 matches prior to this.

With the result, Manang ended the season on top with 36 points from 13 games, while Friends accumulated 12 points from the same number of games on 11th place. 

Brigade avoids points deduction 
In the other match played on the same day at the Armed Police Force (APF) Club’s Halchowk Stadium in Halchowk, strugglers New Road Team and Brigade Boys Club played a goalless draw. 

With the result, New Road has finished at the bottom of the table with seven points from 13 games, while Brigade is 12th and has 10 points from the same number of games. 

With the draw, Brigade has managed to avoid the points deduction and NRT and Machhindra Club will get their two and one points deducted respectively at the start of the next season. 

Manang also dominated the individual awards as three of its team members grabbed the prizes. 

Manang’s Bishal Shrestha, Heman Gurung and Suman Shrestha won the best goalkeeper, the best midfielder and the best coach awards respectively. Likewise, Three Star Club’s Ranjit Dhimal, the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club’s Bharat Khawas won the best defender and the best forward awards respectively. They all got a motorcycle and Rs 50,000 each. 

Meanwhile, Army’s Bikash Khawas was adjudged the best emerging talent award and rewarded with Rs 100,000. 

Similarly, with the title win, Manang has been rewarded with Rs 5 million, while the runner-up Sankata Club took home Rs 3.5 million. Also, the third-placed team Three Star received Rs 2.5 million. The fourth Army, the fifth APF and the sixth Nepal Police Club were provided with Rs 1.5 million, 1 million and Rs 500,000 respectively.

 
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