Kathmandu

Three Star Club win Nepal's domestic league title amid match-fixing controversy

Three Star Club win Nepal's domestic league title amid match-fixing controversy

By THT Online

Players and officials of Three Star Club pose for a photograph with the winner's trophy, after they won the Red Bull National League, at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Photo: Udipt Singh Chhetry

KATHMANDU: Three Star Club have won the Red Bull National League title after beating Manang Marshyangdi Club 2-0 at the ANFA Complex grounds in Lalitpur today. This is Three Star's first National League title and fourth overall in domestic league. After a goalless first half, Three Star Club's Olawale Afeez broke the deadlock on 47th minute. The African player succeeded in netting the ball in a pass off Jagjeet Shrestha. It was his seventh goal of the season. Bijay Dhimal doubled the tally following a pass from Bijay Gurung in the first minute of injury time. With today's results, MMC finished third in the league while Tribhuvan Army Club, who hammered Nepal Police Club 3-0 yesterday, secured the second position. The champions Three Star Club bagged a purse of Rs 10 million, while the first and second runners-up TAC and MMC won Rs 5 million and Rs 2.5 million respectively. Three Star Club had to play the virtual final match of the domestic league football without  captain Sagar Thapa and vice-captain Sandip Rai. The duo were arrested on Wednesday along with three others on charge of match-fixing. Goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong had captained Three Star Club today. Three Star Club's Bijay Gurung was declared the man of the match. When the referee blew the final whistle, MMC had only nine players and Three Star Club 10 left in the pitch. In the injury time, MMC's Moussa and Sushil KC, and Three Star Club's Bijay Dhimal were red-carded. READ ALSO AFC confirms Nepali players’ involvement in match-fixing Best of the Tournament Best Goalkeeper: Kiran Kumar Limbu of Three Star Club Best Defender: Devendra Tamang of Jhapa XI Best Midfielder: Bishal Rai of Manang Marshyangdi Club Best Forward: Nawayug Shrestha (14 goals) of Tribhuvan Army Club Best Coach: Rajendra Tamang of Three Star Club All of them have won a Yamaha motorbike each. READ ALSO After arrest of national footballers, police in dilemma on which law applies to match-fixing