Dharan, February 27

Kakarvitta Football Training Centre stunned five-time champions Nepal Police Club 2-0 and advanced to the semi-finals of the 23rd Budha Subba Tuborg Gold Cup Football Tournament here at the Dharan Stadium today.

Nishan Limbu scored both goals for Kakarvitta and he was named the player of the match that earned him Rs 10,000. Limbu scored on either half. He opened the scoring in the 20th minute following a pass from Yami. Limbu doubled the tally in the 80th minute when he found the back of the nets on a pass from his skipper Khamir Glishan. Kakarvitta will now face United Kurseong Football Club for a place in the final.

Kakarvitta - who made it to the semi-finals for the first time - fielded majority of players from A division outfit Himalayan Sherpa Club.

They missed a couple of scoring chances in the first half. Yami muffed up an opportunity in the 10th minute, while Limbu hit the cross bar in the 25th minute.

NPC goalkeeper Amit Tamang then saved Yami's attempt on a pass from Limbu. NPC's Suman Suweli made a clearance to deny Milan Rai in the 76th minute at a time when goalkeeper Tamang was already beaten.

Kakarvitta coach Munna Subba lauded his boys' spirited performance.

'The youthful team displayed a brilliant show from the beginning and we were able to win the match,' he said. 'We were a bit off in the second half and the opponents were aggressive. But we not only thwarted them but also scored one more for comfortable victory,' Subba added.

NPC created an early chance in the fifth minute but Bhola Silwal failed to beat Bishwo Chaudhary in one-on-one situation, while Samir Rai shot wide following a pass from Silwal in the 11th minute. Suweli then muffed up a chance following a free kick from Dil Bahadur Tamang.

NPC skipper Bhola Silwal rued the missed opportunities. 'We had to return from the first match as we failed to utilise the chances that came our way,' Silwal said. 'The team lacked coordination as we have a lot of youth players in the squad.'

On Tuesday, ANFA Morang will take on KBPS Bangladesh in the fourth and final quarter-final match.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 28, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.