KATHMANDU, Dec 18: High-flying Sankata Club has maintained its brilliant form once again as it defeated struggler Friends Club 3-1 in the ongoing Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League in Kathmandu on Monday.

At the Armed Police Force (APF)’s Halchowk Stadium, goals from Maxwell Ellon, Tampi Ernest, and Dipesh Ale Magar helped Sankata reclaim the second spot with eight wins out of nine it has played so far.

Ellon scored the opener for Sankata as he got the ball near the penalty box, and beat the defenders on his way in the 24th minute.

Friends got back in the game in the 45th minute as Prezen Tamang scored for the club to make the score 1-1.

Sankata was promising in the second half with an improved performance with two more goals coming in the space of three minutes. Ernest reestablished Sankata’s lead in the 54th minute as he headed in a corner from Laxman Ruchal.

Sankata became more and more dominating after retaking the lead, and added another goal just three minutes after that. Dipesh Ale Magar provided an icing on the cake for Sankata as Ruchal provided a clever corner and he scored to make the score 3-1 with not even an hour played in the match.

Friends then began to explore its attacking thrust, but it could not break the strong Sankata defense line. Friends created several chances, but could not score.
With the win, Sankata is second with 24 points. The only team to beat Sankata in the competition is the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club, with 5-1. Friends is at the 11th place with five points.

Earlier, in the other match played at the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Satdobato, Lalitpur, Himalayan Sherpa Club registered its sixth win defeating struggler New Road Team 1-0.

Bishwash Shrestha scored the only goal of the match for Himalayan Sherpa in the 45th minute to give his team the sixth win of the tournament.

Both the teams tried to switch defense into attacks in the first half, with Himalayan Sherpa having most of the ball. Himalayan Sherpa had more attacks and more shots on targets.

Himalayan Sherpa had other chances to score as well, but could not find the net. Dady Junior Wamba hit a shot from outside the box, but the ball went wide in the 30th minute. Likewise, Karna Limbu got a chance to score, but he could not find the net with a header in the 42nd minute.

New Road got a chance to score early on in the 27th minute, but Bal Gopal Sahukhala headed the ball wide, and New Road failed to score a goal yet another time.

Himalayan Sherpa got another chance to score in the second half. It played with counter attacking tactics, but most of its chances were denied or could not be converted.

Shrestha gave a through ball to Aashish Gurung which saw the New Road goalkeeper Ajit Prajapati come forward to get the ball. But Gurung’s shot went wide in the 62nd minute.
Wamba got another goal-scoring opportunity to score, but his shot from inside the box went over the bar in the 70th minute.

New Road had a chance to equalize later on in the game, but Ashok Thapa’s shot was brilliantly provided a touch by a flying Himalayan Sherpa goalkeeper Kishor Giri. The shot hit the bar and went out in the 77th minute.

With the win, Himalayan Sherpa has climbed one place up to the sixth position with 14 points, while New Road is still languishing at the bottom of the table with just one point from nine games. It has the poorest goal difference of -15.

Later, at the ANFA Complex, bottom-half opponents Saraswati Youth Club and Jawalakhel Youth Club shared the spoils of a 0-0 draw.

Both the teams came for the win, but none of them could find the net failing to utilize the chances it created.

As the first half ended pretty sluggishly with less chances created, both the teams started creating their attacking prosperity. Both the teams who came to climb up the table with a win failed and shared a point each.  

After the result, Saraswati is at the ninth place with 10 points, while Jawalkhel is 10th with eight points.

 
• Sankata
 
• A_Division_League