KATHMANDU, MARCH 13

Three Star Club and FC Khumaltar recorded their second victories in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League here today.

Three Star ended Royal Blue Satdobato Youth Club's three-match winning streak with a 1-0 victory at the Dasharath Stadium. Aditya Shakya scored the solitary goal of the match two minutes from end to lift Three Star to fourth position with seven points from four matches and behind Jawalakhel Youth Club on inferior goal difference.

Despite the loss, their first in four matches, Satdobato are at the second position with nine points. Newcomers Church Boys United, who also have nine points, are at the top of the 14-team table with one match in hand.

The match between Three Star and Satdobato, which was play at the soggy pitch due to sudden rain, was heading towards a draw before Shakya produced the moment of brilliance in the 88th minute. Unmarked inside the box, Shakya met the ball - which was missed by at least two players on a corner from Anil Maharjan - and unleashed a powerful shot into the second bar.

Three Star coach Meghraj KC lauded his boys' performance in the match. 'I was skeptical in the beginning as we had a complete new team and we also did not have adequate time to prepare for the league. I am happy that out team is building gradually and the boys' performance is satisfactory, if not the best,' KC said.

Asked about the opponents, KC said all the teams were struggling to build a desired team.

'Not only Satdobato Youth Club, all sides are struggling to build a desired team. The standard of the league has gone down due to the lack of players. We all are missing 40 to 50 players who played in top flight in the previous edition,' he added. Satdobato coach Sanoj Shrestha said his team was forced to play their second match in the gap of one day. 'The players did not get enough rest as they had to play two matches in three days. And the rain also played its part in our poor performance,' he said.

At the Chyasal Stadium, Khumaltar defeated Himalayan Sherpa Club 2-1 for their second victory. The win lifted Khumaltar to fifth place on six points, while Himalayan Sherpa remained at the 10th position with four points.

Manish Thapa and Stephane Samir Binong scored for Khumaltar, while skipper Bishwas Shrestha netted a goal for Himalayan Sherpa.

Thapa opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, while Binong doubled the lead for Khumaltar in the 65th minute. Shrestha converted a free kick into the goal in the 79th minute to reduce the deficit but Himalayan Sherpa could not avert the defeat.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 14, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.