Two-time defending champions Machhindra play stalemate with MMC
LALITPUR, MARCH 12
Tribhuvan Army Football Club came from two-goal down to salvage a 3-3 draw against New Road Team, while twotime defending champions Machhindra FC settled for a goalless stalemate with Manang Matshyangdi Club in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League here today.
At the Chyasal Stadium, previous edition's runners-up Army took a 1-0 lead in the match before NRT hit back with three goals in the second half to take a 3-1 lead. But the departmental side overturned the deficit and earned a point to remain unbeaten in the league.
Skipper Nawayug Shrestha, Sudil Rai and Dinesh Henjan scored for TAFC, while NRT's Lalnunzama scored a brace and Jean Anicet Mboumi netted one.
TAF skipper Shrestha opened the scoring in the 15th minute when he scored from the spot. NRT's foreign recruit Lalnunzama levelled the scores in the 52nd minute capitalising on a poor keeping from Bikesh Kuthu.
In the 57th minute, Bikash Khawas brought down Kritish Ratna Chhanju inside the box and Mboumi converted the resulting penalty to put NRT ahead.
Lalnunzama scored his second goal of the match to extend NRT's lead to 3-1 in the 62nd minute and they were pretty close to recording the first victory of the league. But TAFC had other ideas as Sudil Rai cut the deficit in the 68th minute. Dinesh Henjan then produced a moment of brilliance when he converted a free kick into a sensational goal in the 86th minute to salvage a draw.
With their second draw of the campaign, TAFC accumulated five points from three matches, while NRT - who faced defeats in the first two matches - opened their accounts.
At the ANFA Complex grounds, Machhindra and MMC played a tame draw.
Machhindra, who faced defeats in the first two matches, earned their first point in the league, while MMC remained unbeaten and accumulated five points from three matches.
Machhindra striker Bimal Gharti Magar came close to scoring in the second minute of the match when he unleashed a powerful shot following a pass from Pujan Uperkoti but MMC goalkeeper Deep Karki denied him with a brilliant punch.
At the other end, Machhindra custodian Bishal Shrestha saved his team from going down when he stopped a shot from Bishan Gurung after he met the ball half cleared by Utsav Rai in the seventh minute.
MMC keeper Karki saved Devendra Tamang's free kick in the 32nd minute. Gharti Magar headed wide in the 38th minute following a free kick from Ranjit Dhimal, while he wasted another header opportunity on Dhimal's corner kick three minutes later.
Gharti Magar shot wide on a cross from Bijay Bhujel in the 73rd minute, while Machhindra substitute Sourav Limbu muffed up a chance in the 81st minute. Machhindra were unlucky in the 90th minute when Omolaja Nurain Kareem hit the post.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 13, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
