POKHARA: Nepal Police Club lifted the title of 16th Aaha Rara Gold Cup Football Tournament defeating Ruslan Three Star Club 1-0 in the summit clash at Pokhara Stadium on Saturday.

Ram Wajee scored only goal of the match to help the departmental side NPC win the tournament for the record fifth occasion.

Champion NPC bagged a purse of Rs 701,000 while the runner-up Three Star was given Rs 351,000.

The final was pushed to extra time after both sides failed to score in normal time. Second half substitute Wajee struck decisive goal in the 102nd minute. Wajee was named as man of the match.

Likewise, NPC dominated the individual prizes with Ravi Paswan wining the best player of the tournament award while Ajit Bhandari, Shatrughan Chaudhary and Ananta Thapa were declared as best defender, best goalkeeper and best coach respectively. Sunil Bal and Biswas Shrestha of Three Star were announced as best midfielder and striker respectively. Paswan was awarded scooter while other got Rs 15,000 each.

NPC's Suman Lama and Shrestha of Three Star who netted three goals each were adjudged as highest goal scorer.

After guiding NPC to the major domestic title in his first stint as full-time coach, Thapa said that his players played according to the game plan. "Boys played as per the plan, hence we beat strong team like Three Star which is studded with some good foreign players," said former national team midfielder Thapa.

Likewise, Three Star coach Megh Raj KC said that poor finishing was the main reason behind the defeat.

"My players were shy in front of goal, they missed too many glorious chances," said KC who had guided Lalitpur-based outfit to the title of Madan Bhandari Memorial Itahari Gold Cup.

A total of 12 teams including one each from India and Bangladesh took part in the tournament sponsored by Himshree Foods Private Limited.