PHUNTSOLING, Feb 21: Three Star Club has advanced into the final of the ongoing Jigme Dorje Wangchuk Memorial Gold Cup football tournament with a 3-2 win over United Brothers Club in Bhutan on Wednesday.
In the second semifinal match played in Phuntsoling, goals from Dinesh Rajbanshi, Ranjan Bista, and Buddha Chemjong were enough to win the match for Three Star, despite the two goals that United Brothers replied through Bisistha Subba and Sonam Lepcha.
Three Star, who got a direct ticket to the quarterfinals of the tournament, reached the semifinals defeating Bhutan’s Urjen Academy Football Club 5-4 in sudden-death, while United Brothers had qualified to the semifinals beating Royal Football Club 4-3 in the tie-breaker.
Despite keeping United Brothers in pressure, Three Star got complacent in the second half.
Three Star beats Urjen in sudden-death to reach semis
Three Star head coach said: “We controlled the first half, but was complacent in the second which made difficult for us to win. We need to play improved football in the final.”
Rajbanshi gave Three Star the lead in the 24th minute as he headed in a corner from Sunil Bal. Bista doubled Three Star’s lead four minutes later as he converted in an Ajayi Martins pass.
United Brothers’ Subba pulled one back to cut the deficit in the 39th minute. Chemjong made the score 3-1 for Three Star eight minutes from time.
Even though Lepcha scored from the penalty in the injury time to make the score 3-2, it was not enough for United Brothers. It got a penalty after Three Star center back Peter Segun controlled the ball inside the box with his hand.
Three Star got other chances to score, but could not add to its tally. Chemjong hit a shot, but the ball went just wide of the target in the sixth minute. Rajbanshi headed the ball in the 12th minute, but his shot grazed over the bar.
Three Star’s Martins missed a one-vs-one chance in the 14th minute as his shot hit the post.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Bhutan’s Paro Football Club knocked out the 10-man departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club with a 1-0 win to reach the final in the first semifinal match.
Three Star will take on Paro FC on Friday.
A total of 12 teams from host Bhutan, Nepal and India are taking part in the tournament, with Three Star and Army playing directly from the quarterfinals.
The tournament is one of the oldest football tournaments of Bhutan and is being organized for the first time since 2006.
