Sushil KC and Ajay BK scored in the first half to provide 2-0 lead to NRT but Dhiraj Tamang, Heman Gurung and Ganesh Khadka scored a goal each in the second half to seal 3-2 victory for Himalayan Sherpa.[break]
Ajay BK crossed the ball to KC in the seventh minute and the latter opened the scoring for NRT with a stunning header. BK doubled the tally in the 43rd minute as Seguen A Eyitayo crossed the ball to him beating Himalayan Sherpa´s Samuel Mubiru and advancing goalkeeper Amrit Chaudhary.
NRT maintained the 2-0 lead until the 56th minute but then onwards Himalayan Sherpa turned the tables. Dhiraj Tamang made it 2-1 after NRT goalkeeper Raju Yogi could not save his 35-yard powerful shot.
NPC´s Bhola Silwal celebrates goal. (Photo: Bijay Rai)
Heman Gurung leveled the scores converting the 20-yard free kick on the hour mark. Ganesh Khadka made it 3-2 two minutes later with a brilliant strike from 20 yards away after dodging two defenders.
"We lost the match because of our own mistakes. Boys turned careless after the lead. Meanwhile, goalkeeper was not in proper position and conceded goals," said NRT coach Diken Suwal.
"In the second half we made some changes in the formation introducing Heman and it produced positive results," said Himalayan Sherpa coach Megharaj KC. "The win gave us important three points," he added.
After the win, Himalayan Sherpa moved two places up on the points table to the 10th position with 13 points from 11 matches. NRT is in the sixth position with 16 points.
Himalayan Sherpa featured its players with black armband to mourn the demise of Umesh Sherpa, father of the club President Karma Chhiring Sherpa, on Wednesday morning.
Police beats RCT
Defending champion Nepal Police Club, which has been performing below par in the league, edged past McDowell´s Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) 1-0 to dent the title hope of the latter.
RCT was without regular coach Madhu Karki and its foreign recruit Olawale Afeez because of the ban imposed by ANFA for unsporting behavior during the last match against Nepal Army. ANFA has imposed one-year ban on Afeez and three-match touchline ban on Karki. RCT was also without Yugal Kishor Rai and Sanjiv Budhathoki because of injuries.
Bhola Silwal scored the lone goal of the match in the 13th minute with a header as he met the 30-yard curling free kick from Parbat Pandey.
Police missed a couple of chances in the first half. Yogesh Shrestha´s goal-bound corner rebounded off the bar in the 35th minute and Ramesh Katuwal hit the woodwork in the injury time of the first half.
RCT could have equalized the scores in the 22nd minute had not Suraj BK cleared Bhim Darlami´s header from goal line after Nepal Police goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa fumbled in Dipesh Thapa Magar´s free kick.
RCT´s stand-in coach Baiju Kapali blasted against All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) for "poor management" and cited the ban imposed on them as the reason of poor performance on Wednesday.
Nepal Police coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said that his team pulled off the result despite poor performance.
Nepal Police is in the seventh position with 16 points while RCT is in the fourth place with 20 points.
Thursday´s matches
Army Vs Three Star @ 12:30
Friends Vs Jawalakhel @ 14:30
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