Lalitpur, December 14

Bishal Rai scored the solitary goal as Signature Manang Marshyangdi Club defeated Tribhuvan Army Club 1-0, while Nepal Police Club thrashed NIBL Friends Club 5-0 in the Pulsar Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the ANFA Complex today.

MMC recorded their eighth successive win to restore three-point lead at the top of the table. MMC, who are yet to drop point in the league, accumulated 24 points, while CMG Club Sankata are second with 21. Ruslan Three Star, who have a match on hand, are third with 18 points, one more that fourth-placed TAC.

Rai’s first half goal separated the two teams. Rai found the back of the nets in the 31st minute following a pass from Adelaja Somide.

MMC keeper Bishal Shrestha rescued his team moments before the break when he foiled an attempt from George Prince Karki, who was playing his first match since returning from Nepali Army’s commando training.

TAC did put pressure on MMC in the second half but they were unable to find the back of the nets. They wasted three opportunities in the space of five minutes. George Prince Karki ended up with a wide shot in the 53rd minute, while Jitendra Karki muffed up another chance moments later and skipper Bharat Khawas’ header was off target in the 58th minute. MMC came close to doubling the tally in the 76th minute but Victor struck against the post.

Earlier, Abishek Rijal, Ravi Paswan, Bharat Shah, Tej Tamang and Nir Kumar Rai netted one goal each as NPC romped home against Friends. With their fourth victory in the league, NPC accumulated 14 points, while Friends suffered to their sixth defeat and have five points.

Rijal opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the match on a cross from Ravi Paswan, who himself netted his team’s second goal in the 31st minute following Hem Tamang’s pass. After the break, Shah and Tamang scored in the space of three minutes to make it 4-0 and Rai completed the scoring three minutes from time.