PANCHTHAR, Jan 11: Two goals from Karan Rai helped the guest team Royal Football Club from Darjeeling, India, defeat Boys Union Club 2-0 to reach the semifinals of the 10th Ruslan Falgunanda Gold Cup Football Tournament in Phidim on Thursday. It was the last quarterfinal match of the tournament.
Royal FC will now take on the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club in the semifinals. The other teams to reach the last four are Jhapa XI and Saraswati Youth Club.
Royal FC defeats Boys Union to seal semis berth
Boys Union crashed out of the tournament failing to create enough chances to score with below par performance.
Royal FC kept Boys Union under pressure throughout the game. Boys Union players could not handle the pressure as they could not judge the attacking moves of the Indian club. Boys, who had three foreign players in its sides, could not cause a challenge to Royal FC.
Royal FC took the lead in the match in the 16th minute as Rai converted in a Siddhant Chhetri pass. The team doubled its lead in the 76th minute with a move which started from a throw-in as Chhetri gave a good cross to him and Rai scored.
Rai also missed two chances in the 19th and the 58th minutes which could have seen him score a hat-trick. Chhetri also had a good chance to score as his header was brilliantly stopped by Boys Union keeper Aakash Ranabhat in the injury time.
Jhapa XI will take on Saraswati in the first semifinal match on Friday.
