MMC humiliate Jawalakhel; Bansbari beat Saraswati

KATHMANDU, Dec 1: Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) kicked off their campaign in the British Gurkha Cup football tournament with a 5-0 demolition of the Tilottama Gold Cup champions, Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) on Wednesday.



Meanwhile, in the opening match of the tournament between two newly promoted A-division clubs, Bansbari Club beat Saraswati Youth Club 3-2 at the Dasharath Stadium. [break]



MMC dominated from the early first half till the end of the match in which Santosh Sahukhala scored hat-trick. Sahukhala opened his account in the ninth minute of the match. Shiva Shrestha provided a short pass to Sahukhala, who dribbled past three JYC defenders to turn it into a score.



Sahukhala doubled the MMC lead in 22nd minute. Anjan KC´s free kick struck to Sahukhala´s body and the highest paid striker in Nepali club football controlled the ball before sending it into the net.



JYC substituted the goalkeeper Min Bahadur Basnet in the second half and Dinesh Thapa Magar took the charge of the JYC post. However, Magar could do nothing to stop the MMC front line. Sahukhala completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute of the match.



Nirajan Khadka flicked a free kick from Anjan KC in the 66th minute to make the score 4-0. Substitute Sulav Maskay added fifth for MMC in the injury time adding to the misery of JYC.



JYC had made some good moves and attacks, but MMC goalie Bishal Shrestha defended his post brilliantly. JYC jersey no 18 Bishal Rai´s powerful shot was punched above the bar by Shrestha in the fifth minute. Meanwhile, Shrestha also deterred JYC jersey no 9 Bishal Rai and Karna Bahadur Subba in the first half.



In another opening match of the tournament, Buddha Gurung inspired Bansbari beat Saraswati Club 3-2. Bhola Rai scored through a volley in the eighth minute of the match as he met the cross from Gurung.







However, Saraswati leveled the match within a minute in the solo effort of Durga Lal Shrestha.



Gurung again set a pass to Shyam Kumar Nepal, who scored from the close range in the 22nd minute of the match to regain the Bansbari lead.



Bansbari striker Rai sealed the match in the 56th minute and yet again the move was set by Gurung. Rai made it 3-1 as he met an acute cross from Gurung.



Dhurba Shrestha scored in the 78th minute for Saraswati to make it 3-2, but Bansbari denied Saraswati from leveling the match and gain valuable three points in the group ´A´ of the tournament.

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