DHARAN, Feb 22: Nepal Police Club (NPC) has reached the semifinals of the ongoing 19th Budhasubba Red Bull Gold Cup football tournament, registering a hard-fought victory of 3-2 against Indian opponent Kanchanjunga Football Club of Siliguri on Tuesday. NPC will now take on the blue team of host Dharan Football Club in the second semifinal clash on Thursday. 

Abhisek Rijal netted twice while Man Bahadur Pariyar scored a last gasp goal for NPC, booking its place in the last four. Similarly, Nibash Rana and Karan Thapa scored one goal each for the visiting team. 

Meanwhile, this is the first tournament out of four this year where the Police made it to the semifinals. Earlier, NPC had failed to win any opening matches in the Tuborg Hetauda Second International Invitational Gold Cup, Jhapa Gold Cup and Aaha-Rara Gold Cup.  

In the quarterfinal clash held at ANFA Technical Center, Dharan, NPC had to wait until the second half to produce the lead as Abhisek Rijal scored a brilliant free kick goal in the 49th minute. Police was awarded free kick after Jumanu Rai was fouled by Kanchanjunga’s Nipesh Sharma. Ten minutes later, Abhisek scored his personal second in his solo effort to make 2-0 for Police. Visiting team Kanchanjunga which was two goals down saw another setback after its skipper Amir Rana was given the marching order by the referee for fouling on Police’s Bhola Silwal in the 67th minute. 

Kanchanjunga which was limited to ten players hit their first goal in the 72nd minute after Nibash Rana scored in a free kick. Kanchanjunga kept afloat its hope of returning to the match after Karan Thapa found the equalizer for the visiting team scoring from the spot just a minute before the normal time. The Indian team was awarded a penalty shot after Police’s Tej Tamang fouled on Wangchu Tamang. However, few minutes later, Tej amended his mistake by creating an opportunity for Man Bahadur Pariyar who scored and the Police won the match 3-2. Kanchanjunga’s Riwash Rana was declared the man-of-the-match and was rewarded with Rs 5000. 

In the competitive match, both sides failed to utilize many goal scoring opportunities. Police had the chance to produce an early lead when Jumanu Rai had the chance to score a free header from Abhisek Rijal’s cross. However, the skipper couldn’t score. In the 41st minute, Bhola Silwal’s powerful free-kick was denied by Kanchanjunga’s goalkeeper Namtu Majumdar. Kanchanjunga’s Nibash Rana prevented Police from scoring in the injury time of the first half as he defended Man Bahadur Pariyar’s shot after his goalkeeper was already beaten. Police’s Jumanu had set up for Man Bahadur.

Kanchanjunga also had the chance to score the opener in the first half as its African recruit Timo missed the opportunity for a header in Amit Rai’s cross in the 28th minute. The Indian team’s another chance was wasted when Wangchu Tamang’s feeble shot from the close range was saved by Police goalie Dipesh Yadav.  

After the match, Police’s head coach Kumar Katwal expressed his satisfaction over the performance of his players. “The opponent was very strong but my players played impressively to pull up victory. Especially Abhisek Rijal’s performance was key for the win today,” said head coach Katwal. 

Meanwhile Kanchanjunga’s head coach Dinkar Chhetri expressed his dissatisfaction over the referee’s descion to show the red card to his captain Amir Rana. “Besides that red card, errors from my goalkeeper were the reasons behind today’s loss,” said head coach Chhetri. 

In the first semifinal clash of the tournament on Wednesday, Rupandehi XI will take on CMG Club Sankata.

 
• nepal police club
 
• kanchanjunga football club
 
• dharan football club