MORANG, April 4: CMG Sankata Club has advanced into the semifinals of the ongoing fifth Birat Gold Cup football tournament defeating the departmental team Armed Police Force 1-0 in the second quarterfinal match on Tuesday. 

At the Shahid Stadium, Djihrel Traore scored the winner in the 61st minute of the match sending Sankata into the last four. 

The first half of the game was unconvincing from both the sides as none of them could impress in front of the goal. 

Sankata got the first chance of the match as Fode Fofaua’s shot in the 28th minute from just outside the box hit the woodwork and the rebound went just off the target. 

Armed Police got a chance four minutes after that as Nabin Lama crossed the ball to Biku Lama, but Sankata saved any attack as its defender with a good tackle denied Lama. 

Sankata wasted another chance in the 35th minute as a poor free kick from Laxman Ruchal went off the target. 

Armed Police then started keeping Sankata under the pressure in the last two minutes of the first half, but could not get the end product. 

Both the teams played a goalless first half. 

Armed Police thought it had scored in the 56th minute, but was flagged offside. Sankata instantly got a chance in the 59th minute but Anil Gurung’s header from a Traore cross went wide. 

Sankata took the lead through Traore’s powerful shot in the 61st minute. Sankata got another chance after 20 minutes of scoring as Nabin Lama’s powerful shot was brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper. 

Armed Police got a last chance in the third minute of the added time, but a curled corner kick from Shyam Nepali was easily held by the Sankata goalkeeper. 

The two other departmental teams Nepal Police Club and Tribhuvan Army Club will face each other in the third quarterfinal match on Wednesday.  

 
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