Sankata skipper Nirajan Malla missed a few chances in the first half hour of the match but Sujal Shrestha gave a lead to Sankata in the 39th minute. As APF defender Narayan Katuwal fouled on Kailash Dangol inside the box, referee Bikash Mahat awarded penalty to Sankata. Shrestha took the opportunity and scored from the spot. [break]
In the second half of the match, APF tried to make a comeback but failed to score. Sankata goalkeeper Deepak Dangol made an acrobatic save to a fierce long range shot of Dinesh Karki in the 69th minute. Likewise, Dangol punched a header of Jeebesh Pandey to the bar and Sudeep Shikhrakar cleared it from the goal line.
After the win, Sankata have 16 points and 10th position from 19 games while APF have 13 points and the bottom position (12th) from equal matches. Boys Union are in 11th position with 16 points from 19 matches.
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Likewise, G Five Machhindra Club thrashed Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) 4-0 in the mid-table battle.
Machhindra took the first lead in the 23rd minute from a penalty. MMC defender Pankaj Lama fouled against Manoj Sunuwar and Machhindra got the chance for a spot-kick. Rupesh KC utilized the chance.
Karna Limbu doubled the score in the 31st minute as he scored in a one-on-one situation. Bishal Rai scored the third for Machhindra in the 78th minute through a header from close range and Limbu sealed the match with a score in the 90th minute in another one-versus-one situation.
With the win, Machhindra have 27 points and the fifth position while MMC are in sixth place with 23 points from 19 games.
Machhindra Coach Meghraj KC claimed that his boys kept their cool and produced some killing passes to win the match.
APF allege match-fixing
Meanwhile, Armed Police Force (APF), who are facing relegation threat, alleged other clubs of plotting against them and fixing matches in the ongoing Martyrs Memorial ´A´ Division Football League.
After their defeat from another relegation threatened Sankata Club, APF team manager Prem Kumar Shrestha, during the post match conference, admitted they have the highest chance of being relegated.
"This was a crucial match. We could not play well and lost the match. The results will help others to plot against us and fulfill their desire to relegate the departmental team," said Shrestha.
"We accept that we are among the weaker teams, but if the league had gone in a fair way we wouldn´t have faced relegation," he said. "Machhindra Club, who stunned top clubs earlier lost to Sankata, and star-packed Three Star played a draw with Boys Union. Everybody can say these are not coincidences," Shrestha claimed.
"Our club was established to help national football and we have been offering national stars to play for our club. We have already signed national players like Nirajan Malla and Noor Raj Kafle. However, we cannot call them to play ´B´ division if we are relegated. So, we´ll not play ´B´ division," threatened Shrestha.
However, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Secretary-General Dhirendra Pradhan claimed that the organizers are unaware of the charges.
"We have not seen signs of match-fixing. If APF have seen anything we ask them to report to ANFA," said Pradhan. "We are ready to investigate if APF officially report such cases. We are ready to take action against the players and clubs if found guilty," added Pradhan.
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