JYC avenge first leg derby defeat

Source: ekantipur.com

KATHMANDU, APR 09 - Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club (SJYC) stunned local rivals NIB Friends with a solitary goal from Raj Kumar Ghising, while Armed Police Force (APF) held title contenders Nabil Three Star to a 1-1 draw in the Martyrs’ Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League at the Dashrath Stadium on Thursday.

SJYC went into the match needing a victory to keep themselves in the comfort zone, and most importantly, to avenge the narrow 1-0 defeat they suffered against their local rivals in the first leg, and they played accordingly, putting pressure on Friends’ defense that was looking fragile owing to the absence of central defender Noor Raj Kafle, who had been ruled out due to injury.

Dipen Shrestha tested Friends keeper Sagar Thapa with his header in the ninth minute.

Friends also had their say with Azad Pradhan’s header hitting the woodwork in the half hour’s mark before Deepak Bhusal forced a string of saves from Friends keeper Min Basnet after the a interval. Perhaps Friends’ continuously missing easy attempts was a sign of things to come. Jawalakhel deflated them when Raj Kumar Ghising fired a penalty for a handball inside the penalty box by Bhusal inside on 74th minute.

Jawalakhel have 14 points from 12 games to stay level on points with eighth-placed RCT, while Friends remain at fourth with 19 points. They are a point ahead of Manang Marshyandgi, who have a game in hand. In the first game of the day, a rare eighth minute goal from Jocelyn Morgan Pierce counted for nothing as APF pegged one back through Ganesh Lawati on 25th minute.

Three Star displayed all the qualities that led to their easy 2-0 victory against APF in the first leg: good strikes, a robust midfield and a stingy defense, but a hazardous judgment by keeper Kiran Chemjong left them in the ruts as APF made full use of it to level the score.

Lawati’s volley from the left flank was misjudged by Kiran and saw it land at the back of his net. Jocelyn had given Three Star an eighth minute lead when he latched on to a back heel from Santosh Sahukhala to fire in from close range.

The draw leaves Three Star four points adrift of second placed NPC on 26 points, while APF remain in bottom three with 11 points.