KATHMANDU, Jan 3: Three Star Club has suffered yet another setback losing its chance to finish second after being defeated 2-1 by Sankata Club in the ongoing Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League in Lalitpur on Wednesday. 

At the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Satdobato, two spot kick goals from Amit Tamang either side of the halves helped the second-placed team to register an emphatic victory over a title contender. Manang Marshyangdi Club’s win in the 11th round maintained its winning run. 

Three Star had taken the lead through Ranjan Bista in the 30th minute as he dribbled past three to four Sankata defenders, hit a strong shot from the middle area of the Sankata penalty box, but Sankata keeper Raja Babu Thapa could not stop it and the ball went into the bottom left corner of the post.

Sankata got a chance to equalize as Three Star’s Sunil Bal fouled Tamang inside the box, and Tamang converted the spot kick quite easily in the 42nd minute.

Tamang scored another goal from the spot kick in the 64th minute after Peter Segun fouled Soujan Rai inside the penalty box. He scored a delicate penalty this time as he sent the keeper Alan Neupane in the wrong direction. 

Three Star had several chances to score in the match as Ajayi Martins’ shot from the outside of the box went over the bar in the fourth minute, while Bal’s shot from right side of the box went wide of the target in the 16th minute. 

Sankata had chances to score as Tamang hit a right-sided shot from outside the box which went off the target in the 17th minute. 

Bal had another glorious chance to score but his shot from inside the box was blocked by Sankata captain Ravi Silwal in the 23rd minute. 

There was another opportunity for Three Star as captain Bikram Lama produced a delightful through ball looking for the attackers, but Sankata keeper Thapa cleared it in the 25th minute. 

Sankata’s Rai produced a through ball, Ellon Maxwell controlled the ball with his chest, but he could not find the target in the 27th minute. Three Star kept attacking in the second half.

With the win, Sankata has secured the second position with 28 points from 12 games, while Three Star is third with 23 points from the same number of games. Three Star will now take on Himalayan Sherpa, but Tribhuvan Army Club is just one point behind it, and the departmental team can eclipse Three Star to get into the third place. 

In the other game played on the same day at the Armed Police Force (APF)’s Halchowk Stadium in Halchowk, runaway league winner Manang got past a tough challenge to register its 12th straight win defeating Himalayan Sherpa 2-1. 

If Manang beats Friends in the last round of the league, it will create history in Nepali football to win all the league matches it has played. 

A goal each from Afeez Olawale and Bishal Rai helped the champion defeat Himalayan, while the latter’s consolation goal came through Bishwas Shrestha.

Manang started the game on attacking ways to continue its winning run. Olawale gave Manang the lead in the 36th minute converting a cross from Kamal Shrestha. 

Himalayan got a goal back in the stroke of half-time through Bishwash Shrestha who hit the ball into the second bar to equalize the game. 

Manang scored the winning goal through Rai in the 63rd minute which proved decisive in taking the winning run to 12 games. 

But, it didn’t end all well for Manang as defender Muhammed Asif and Himalayan’s Shrestha were sent off by referee Kabin Byanjankar after an exchange of words. 

With the win, unstoppable Manang is on top of the table with 36 points from 12 games, while Himalayan is seventh with 17 points from same number of games.

 
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