BIRATNAGAR, APRIL 17
Nepal APF Club won the title of the sixth Birat Gold Cup with a 1-0 win over Punjab Police Club here at the Martyrs Stadium today.
Pradeep Lama scored the solitary goal of the match early in the 10th minute and that was enough for the departmental side to lift the trophy along with Rs 1.51 million.
Man-of-the-match Lama found the back of the nets after he buried the ball into the left corner from close range after beating defender Jitender Singh.
APF had a chance to open the scores in the second minute of the match but Buddhiman Rai wasted an easy opportunity when he failed to beat Punjab goalkeeper Satbir Singh in one-on-one situation following a pass from Biku Tamang. Two minutes later, APF skipper Sudeep Sikhrakar shot wide from inside the penalty box, while Punjab custodian Singh punched out Aashish Lama's powerful strike from 30 yards.
Punjab created a couple of chances in the second half but they failed to find the back of the nets. Rajbir Singh wasted a chance in the 51st minute, while Parmjeet Singh muffed up another opportunity in the 70th minute.
Runners-up Punjab received Rs 751,000.
Ashish Lama of APF was named the player of the tournament and he received a motorcycle. APF also dominated the individual awards with goalkeeper Raju Nagarkoti, defender Sanish Shrestha, midfielder Mani Lama and coach Sumit Shrestha winning the honours.
Sankata Club's Fode Fofana was declared the best striker, while Prakash Budhathoki of Biratnagar-XI was the highest scorer with four goals. The individual award winners earned Rs 25,000 each, while man-of-thematch Pradeep Lama received Rs 10,000.
Province-1 Governor Somnath Adhikari, All Nepal Football Association President Karma Tsering Sherpa, Biratnagar Metropolitan City Mayor Bhim Parajuli, National Sports Council Member Hari Khadka and tournament convenor Manoj Bikram Shah among others handed over the prizes to the winners.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 18, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
