First goal, first win for APF

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 30: Armed Police Force (APF) on Monday ended its goal drought and long wait for victory as it recorded convincing 7-0 win over Brigade Boys Club (BBC) in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division League Football Tournament at the Dasharath Stadium.

In course of achieving first victory and opening accounts in the points table for APF, Ganesh Lawati completed a hat-trick while Jeevan Sinkeman added a brace. Saurab Magar scored a goal and APF got yet another as gift from BBC skipper Amitab Sunwar who hit an own goal. Sinkeman´s hat-trick also became ninth hat-trick of the league.

With the win, APF also leapfrogged five spots from the bottom of the table to 13th place with three points in the 18-team contest. BBC remained constant in the 11th position with five points.

"The win has lifted the confidence of players and given a boost to our hope of making it to super eight," APF assistant coach Janak Singh Tharu said adding, "Today our focus was on scoring more and more goals and we achieved it well."

In another match, Mahindra Bansbari FC scored a lone goal through spot-kick against Swayambhu for 1-0 win in course of achieving their third win. In the clash among two newcomers, Bhola Rai committed no mistake to hit the all important goal through penalty in the first minute of first half injury time. Bansbari was awarded the penalty after Laxman Mahat handed the ball inside the box in a bid to defend Bijendra Shrestha´s corner.

In the lackluster affair between top flights debutant, both the teams failed to put up attractive show and impressive moves. During the second half, African recruit of Bansbari Rahim Diall Abbdoul had chipped in an advancing goalie Emmanel of Swayambhu but Santosh Basnet defended the ball from the box.

Bansbari remained unchanged in the ninth spot in the table with nine points while Swayambhu dropped to 15th place from 13th.

"Though we achieved our target of winning against the team of our own level, the boys could not put up attractive show," Bansbari coach Hari Om Shrestha said. He also pointed out the lack of combination among midfielders and forwards for poor show.

Swayambhu coach Bikram Lama who termed the match as vital for earning points, said that his side was unable to win due to lack of good forwards. "Today I have made lot of changes in the squad targeting a victory," Lama said.

Earlier, Jeevan Sinkeman opened the scoring for the departmental giants in the ninth minute to score first goal of the league after 46 minutes. Sinkeman made a powerful strike from the left flank of box to open scoring. He netted his second and the teams fifth goal in 83rd minute from close range after goalie Ranjitkar failed to grip Top Bahadur Bista´s shot.

Similarly, Saurab Magar also made spectacular strike from 25-yard in the 37th minute to stun BBC goalie Suman Ranjitkar. Lawati who scored his first goal the 64th minute added another in the 80th and completed hat-trick in the fourth minute of the stoppage time. To hit his first goal, Lawati dribbled around two defenders and beat goalie while for other goal he made a superb strike from the edge and completed hat-trick off Mahesh Khadka cross.

To add misery to his side, BBC skipper Amitabh Sunuwar hit an own goal in an attempt to defend Arjun Subba´s freekick.

BBC Coach Sanoj Shrestha said that his side could not put up good show as five players of his set were not fielded in the squad.

"Four players were injured and another was the victim of double yellow card," Shrestha said. He said his team´s target was to play at least a draw.

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