RCT routs Koilapani, moves to second

SOURCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 29: Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) continued its unbeaten run with a 7-0 rout of newcomer Koilapani Polestar Club from Nawalparasi in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division League Football Tournament at the Dasharath Stadium on Sunday.

Three goals were scored in the first half and four in the second as RCT registered its biggest victory in the league. The win also lifted RCT to second position from sixth with equal 16 points as that of leader Manang Marshyangdi Club and third place holder New Road Team. RCT, which has plus 12 goals after playing six matches, has two goals less than MMC and two more than NRT..

Amar Dangol was twice on target for RCT while Cameroonian Ntolo Ngoumou, Shekhar Limbu, Satish Rajbhandari and Bijay Gurung scored one apiece. RCT was also gifted an own goal by Koilapani defender Niraj Gurung.

In the day´s earlier kick-off, Friends Club, looking for its first victory, shared points with Bauddha Football Club after playing a goalless draw. With the draw Bauddha climbed one spot to seventh with 11 points, while Friends remained unchanged in the 12th spot with four points.

“We had hoped for three points but failed to achieve it,” Friends coach Paras Chaudhary said after the match. “It will be known only after the next two matches whether we will remain a contender for the top eight or not,” Chaudhary added.

In a dull first half, Bauddha dominated ball possession but both the teams failed to create even a single scoring opportunity. Friends´ African recruit Thomas Guineenne´s close-range strike after the interval was saved by Bauddha custodian Binod Dangol, while in the 80th minute Subarna Samekhan missed an opportunity to put his team ahead when he failed to beat the goalie in a one-on-one situation after receiving a pass from Santosh Tamang.

Khum Gurung´s strike for Bauddha from the box in the 63rd minute was saved by goalie Sagar Ghimire. In the 70th minute, Hem Tamang failed to meet Eugene Gary´s pass just ahead of the post. A minute later, glovesman Ghimire denied Uttam Gurung´s powerful strike from the edge of the box with a brilliant diving save.

“Though the boys got a few scoring opportunities, they failed to utilize it,” Bauddha coach Kiran Shrestha said, adding, “We could not field skipper Rajesh Shahi in the match and it was a setback for the team.” According to the coach, Shahi will not be available for at least four weeks as he has picked up hand injuries.

In another match, RCT outclassed Koilapani, which has been struggling to stay in the league because of financial crunch. Defender Ntolo Ngoumou put RCT ahead in the ninth minute through a free-kick from the right flank, while Amar Dangol was on target twice, in the 26th and 74th minutes, both in passes set up by Shekhar Limbu. RCT was gifted the third goal by Niraj Gurung when headed into his own net in a bid to clear Ngoumou´s header.

Shekhar Limbu scored the fourth goal for the team in a pass of Dangol in the 58th minute beating the goalie. The duo had a perfect combination and exchanged attractive passes. Substitute Satish Rajbhandari netted the fifth beating the goalie in pass of Bijay Gurung, who later scored five minutes from time to put the final nail in the coffin.

RCT coach Madhu Karki said that his side achieved the target of scoring more goals. “Goals came in time and there was good combination between Amar and Shekhar,” Karki said.