Tension ran high throughout the match after RCT Coach Madhu Karki was given marching orders from the technical area in an hour mark and RCT´s African forward Olawala Afeez later in the stoppage time. The match was obstructed for eight and six minutes respectively. [break]
Coach Karki was allegedly given marching orders by referee Sudish Pandey for hurling abuses at assistant referee Nani Ram Thapa after conceding the first goal. But Karki refused to leave the technical area and continued arguing with the referee and assistant referee.
Other officials of the RCT including Changesh Lal Shrestha and Uttam Lal Shestha who exchanged heated words with the referee and ANFA officials were also sent off from the technical area.
Nepal Police vs NRT. (Photo: Bikash Karki)
RCT´s coach Baiju Kapali who attended the post match conference in absence of Karki blamed the referee for the tense situation. "Rather than cooling things down the referee himself turned furious adding to the tension," said Kapali.
Kapali also accused the referee of being unfair. "Bharat Khawas had pulled the ball with his hand and fired in the post. However, he did not achieve the target. Referee and assistant referee had seen that clearly. But the referee neither showed Khawas the card nor did he award foul to RCT."
"The referee does not have the maturity to handle the match."
Instead of taking the situation under control with help from ANFA volunteers and security officials, ANFA called the security men deployed at the venue to take the situation under control. The security men manhandled Changesh Lal and entered the play ground which is against the international norms.
The match was obstructed for the second time during the 11 minutes of stoppage time after referee Pandey flashed a second yellow to RCT´s African player Afeez. Afeez was given an ´unnecessary´ yellow card.
The African pushed match referee Pandey after he was given marching orders and stepped at the hand of Army player Budhathoki who was lying on the ground. Other Army players from the playground as well as players box rushed towards Afeez and attacked him. Army´s Yuddha Shahi, substituted in the 87th minute, was one of the players who punch him. Nawayug Shrestha also thrashed Afeez. Shahi was later red carded by the referee but Shrestha was left unnoticed.
Army coach Yogambar Suwal briefly commented that his players should not have manhandled opponent side´s player.
Kapali also clarified that his team won´t file any complaint against referee at ANFA. "We don´t believe that ANFA will take any action against the referee as it has never happened in the past."
Khawas heroic in Army win
Bharat Khawas netted twice for the Army in its 2-1 win over RCT. Khawas opened the scoring four minutes into the second half and made one more goal in last few seconds of the 11 minute stoppage time. Oladipo Olawale Afeez had made it 1-1 in the 79th minute.
With his two goals, Khawas joined Santosh Sahukhala of Three Star in the top scorers´ list.
The victory lifted Army to the fifth position from the seventh with 17 points. The defeat left RCT with 20 points and in the second place. RCT could have climbed to the summit had it achieved victory. Second placed- Machhindra and third-placed MMC with a match advantage could push down RCT if they win their upcoming matches.
In the kick off match, Nepal Police Club came from behind to settle for a 1-1 draw against the New Road Team (NRT). Police defender Suman Subedi cancelled NRT´s lead in the 18th minute heading a goal bound freekick of Yogesh Shrestha taken from the left side. The ball entered the net hitting inner bar after Subedi´s header.
Earlier, Sulaiman Olansile had given 10th minute lead to NRT when he made a powerful header in skipper Laxman Ruchal´s corner. Police with 13 points and NRT with 16 points remained unchanged in sixth and eighth positions respectively.
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