SOURCE: REPUBLICA
Picture: Republica
Army continued with their perfect run in the second leg to collect 15 points from five matches as compared to 16 points from 11 matches in the first leg.
In another match, Shayan Mosavi netted twice for the first leg leaders New Road Team (NRT) as won 3-0 to deny G Five Machhindra Club their fourth straight win. With 31 points, NRT moved one spot closer to Army to stand third on the basis of goal difference after playing 16 league matches.
Fourth placed Three Star with a match in hand (28 points) may secure second position if they beat RCT in Friday´s match. Both Machhindra and Jawalakhel remained unchanged in fifth and ninth position with 24 and 20 points respectively.
Mosavi gave an early eighth minute lead to NRT who had collected only one point from their previous three outings. Mosavi scored from a close range beating an offside trap in a pass of Biraj Maharjan. He doubled the lead in the 55th minute through a free header in a cross of Rajesh Shahi, and Roshan Lamichhane sealed the match in the 68th minute through a strike from the box. Mosavi also became the second highest scorer of the league with 10 goals, five goals behind leading scorer Santosh Sahukhala of Three Star.
Machhindra´s chances of scoring were foiled twice as Pukar Ale´s shot was spectacularly dived and taken by goalie in the first half, and in the second half NRT defender Sagar Thapa again prevented Ale from scoring as he headed to change the course of the ball moving toward an open post while goalie Surendra Shrestha was at the far end of the box to stop Ale.
NRT coach Diken Suwal lauded the team´s performance. “We are still in the title race and the boys put up a great effort to win,” Suwal said.
Machhindra coach Meghraj KC said that suspension of their Brazilian midfielder Daniel Sores due to double yellow cards and injury of four players cost them. “Most of the players in the team are young and exhausted after playing regular matches,” KC said.
In another match, Hari Mahato scored a brace for Army while Shiva Chaudhary, Raju Tamang and Santosh Nepali netted one each as they canceled Jawalakhel´s Yogesh Shrestha´s 35th minute lead to overturn the match 5-1.
No sooner had Shrestha headed home the opener for Jawalakhel in a corner of Bijay Dhimal, Chaudhary struck a beautiful equalizer from close range one minute later.
Mahato netted in the 41st and 69th minutes. He scored first in a rebounder of Amrit Basnet´s header that hit the bar after being punched by goalie Min Basnet. Mahato scored his second goal through a superb strike from the box in a pass of Bhoj Raj Ghimire. Tamang added another six minutes later to take the score to 4-1 and Nepali killed the match in the 79th minute.
Army coach Raju Shakya said that luck of the team and strong custodian, defenders and skillful midfield made the huge margin victory possible.
Jawalakhel coach Suman Yonzan said that his side failed to meet the strength and speed of the departmental team.
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