In the days´ late kick off, Jumanu Rai scored a brace for Nepal Police Club to pull a 4-0 win over the only mofussil club Koilapani Polestar of Nawalparasi.[break]
MMC dominated newly promoted United Youth from the early moments of the match and Sahukhala opened the goal-account in the 16th minute. Sahukhala met a cross off Ganesh Khadka and headed the ball into the net.
Sahukhala scored the second goal in the 37th minute from a close range. MMC skipper Tashi Tsering met a corner off Khadka but his header rebounded and Sahukhala showed it the way to post.
Sahukhala, who joined MMC from Three Star in the ongoing season with a record move of worth Rs 50000 per month, completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute. Deepak Bhusal fed a curling pass to Sahukhala and the latter scored through a spectacular header.
Sujal Shrestha and Bijay Gurung added a goal each for MMC. Unmarked Shrestha received a cross off Gurung in the 71st minute and simply guided the ball into the post. Meanwhile, Gurung dodged United Youth´s defense and sent the ball into the net.
United could not make any noteworthy move and attack during the match.
“We met a top team in the very first match and conceded five goals, but we´ll recover from it and try to avoid relegation during the tournament,” said United Youth coach Roshan Dangol. He said United Youth was a rooky side in front of the star-studded MMC.
MMC coach Bal Gopal Maharjan lamented on the missed chances of the early first half and said the team was not well set in its first match. “We have a target of winning title and the way we played today would not be enough to achieve the goal. However, I´m sure we´ll improve day by day as the tournament progresses,” said Maharjan.
In the second match of the day, Koilapani gave a brave fight to Police in the first half with packed-defense. However, coach Birat Krishna Shrestha´s tips to his players in the half-time helped Police tear-up the Koilapani defense and flood the second half with four goals.
Bharat Khawas met a sublime cross from Parbat Pandey in the 48th minute and opened the Police account.
Yogesh Shrestha supplied a cross from the right side on both occasions for Jumanu Rai in the 52nd and 55th minute to score his brace in the game.
“I was trying hard to score in international matches with no success. I´m scoring in the domestic football now and I´m happy about that,” said Rai in the post-match conference.
Bhola Silwal added fourth goal for Police in the 86th minute through a powerful 30-yard shot.
Koilapani had created a chance in the 67th minute but Manish KC wasted it. Manoj Gurung shot into the post but KC´s attempt to push it further made the ball sail above the bar.
“Police attacked from the right in the second half and boys conceded the first goal and lost their hopes,” said Koilapani coach Raju Pulami.
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