Sahukhala leads MMC rout

SOURCE: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) rallied twice to hammer bottom of the table Koilapani Polestar Club 7-3 in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull ‘A’ Division League here at the Nepal AFP Headquarters grounds today. 

In other matches at the Dasharath Stadium, Mega Three Star Club edged New Road Team 1-0 while Tribhuvan Army Club and Bouddha played a goalless draw. 

MMC climbed two spots up to second with 19 points, three behind leaders Nepal Police Club after eight matches. Three Star rose to sixth from eighth with 16 points. Samsung Jawalakhel, who have played a game less, and NRT also have 16 points but the goal difference meant JYC are fifth and NRT seventh. Bouddha are eight with 15 points while Koilapani are rock bottom with just one point.

At Halchowk, Chun Bahadur Pakhrin stunned MMC by providing Koilapani the seventh minute lead. Although Anil Gurung levelled the scores in the 16th minute, Koilapani were in front a minute later thanks to an own goal from MMC skipper Tashi Tsering.

Santosh Sahukhala scored first of his four goals to level the scores for MMC. MMC never loooked back thereafter as Nirajan Khadka made it 3-2 in the 23rd before Santosh scored his second a minute later. Santosh completed his hat-trick in the 38th minute and MMC went to the break with a comfortable 6-2 cushion after Nirajan struck his second goal three minutes into the injury time. Santosh scored his fourth in the 72th minute but Koilapani still had time to add their third when Jangu Sherpa struck in the 83rd minute.

At Dasharath Stadium, Anil Ojha scored from the spot in the 69th minute to give Three Star all three points. Saurav Shrestha brought down Raj Kumar Ghising inside the area to prompt referee Bikash Mahat to point towards the spot. Anil stepped in to take the penalty and sent NRT custodian Raju Yogi the wrong way.

NRT came close to sharing a point deep into the second half injury when Jitendra slamed a spectacular 25-yard freekick only for Three Star keeper Kiran Chemjong to acrobatically punch away the ball for corner. “I am satisfied with the peformance,” said NRT coach Raju Kaji Shakya. “We also had fair number of chances but we could not capitalise on them,” added Shakya.

Three Star coach Megh Raj KC said his players took the game to lightly and invited pressure on themselves. “NRT are a very balanced and set team despite fielding inexperienced boys,” said KC. 

In a lackluster another match, Tribhuvan Army Club were held by a surprise package Bouddha. The Armymen had fair number of chances to score but could not capitalise on those rare opportunities. 

Bouddha coach Kiran Shrestha said the result was satisfactory considering the might of their opponents. “Our games is improving every other day but still being able to share a point with TAC is a very good result for us,” said Shrestha. His TAC counterpart Dambar Singh Gurung rued the poor finishing. “Our boys played well, as they usually do, applied constant pressure to the opponents but then they miss out on scoring,” said Gurung.