KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 12

Nepal APF Club earned their first points as they played a goalless draw with Three Star Club in the Qatar Airways Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the Dasharath Stadium today.

The departmental side opened their accounts with the point in the fourth match, while Three Star faced their second draw in four matches and are at the fifth position with five points, tied with Sankata Club, Nepal Police Club and New Road Team.

Defending champions Machhindra FC are at the top on superior goal difference after being tied on 10 points with Manang Marshyangdi Club, while Tribhuvan Army Football Club are third on eight.

Newly-promoted Satdobato Youth Club are fourth with seven points.

Brigade Boys Club and Chyasal Youth Club have four points each, while Friends Club and Himalayan Sherpa Club have two apiece.

Jawalakhel Youth Club are yet to open their accounts.

On Sunday, Nepal APF Club dominated the match against three-time league champions Three Star Club but they failed to find the back of the nets. Three Star goalkeeper Guillaume Yves Priso Njanga and defender Raphael Bidias Rim saved the team from facing defeat at lowly APF. The departmental side made the first move but Nabin Lama saw his strike saved by Njanga in the 13th minute.

Three Star custodian Njanga denied Mani Kumar Lama's free kick in the 30th minute, while Three Star defender Ananta Tamang headed wide following a corner from Hemant Thapa Magar in the 42nd minute. Tamang wasted a chance in the first half injury time on his skipper Bikram Lama's free kick.

APF outplayed Three Star with an improved show in the second half. APF came close to taking the lead in the 50th minute but Ashish Lama failed to put the ball into the nets after Nabin Lama's strike deflected off Three Star defender Sanjok Rai. Three Star goalkeeper Njanga denied Pradeep Lama in one-on-one situation, while Aashish Lama's header on a cross from Pradip Lama went inches wide.

Pradeep Lama's strike from 15 yards out sailed over the bar in the 84th minute.

APF coach Kumar Thapa rued the missed opportunities and lauded the team's improved performance.

'The boys put in hard work and they performed better than the previous matches. It's unfortunate that we did not win the match,' said the former national team midfielder. 'Finally we have opened the accounts and it will be important in our bid to avoid relegation,' he added.

Three Star assistant coach Rabindra Silakar said the players were more focused on earning a point rather than dropping all three points. 'We had made plans to earn all three points from the match but we failed to get the desired result. It's a league and it's good to earn a point than facing a defeat and lose three points.'

A version of this article appears in the print on December 13, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.