Brigade Boys Club hold Friends

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 16:

Bishwa KC scored a late equaliser as Brigade Boys Club (BBC) held Friends Club to a 1-1 draw in the day’s match of the Martyrs’ Memorial Everest ‘A’ Division League Football Tournament here today. KC, who substituted Tej Limbu in the 85th minute, levelled the score after two minutes on Anil Gurung’s pass inside the penalty area. Earlier, Friends Club took lead in the 33rd minute, when Birat Thapa found the net from about 35-yards. After the day’s match, Friends Club remained at the fourth position with nine points from five matches. BBC, at third from bottom with two points, added woes to the relegation threatened Kathmandu Club, which have lost their last five matches.

Three Star Club lead the standings over Mahendra Police Club on better goal difference, while defending champions Manang Marsyangdi Club are at third position with 13 points from five matches. Out of the 32 matches played so far, the day’s match was the 11th draw. In an evenly contested match at Dasharath Stadium, Anil Gurung of BBC failed to convert in one-to-one situation with Friends goalkeeper Sanjeev Shrestha snatching the ball from Friends defender Rishee Rai. The tedious first half ended without any other moves. Friends Club decision to replace their custodian Sanjeev Shrestha with Rajiv Shrestha in the 70th minute proved fruitful as the second-choice glovesman had a spectacular save when he brilliantly dived to save BBC striker Aakash Chhantyal’s close range shot.

Two minutes later, BBC goalkeeper Deepak Thapa Magar brilliantly saved Ramesh Byanjankar’s free kick from just outside the penalty box. Friends Club earned the free kick when a BBC defender brought down Friends Club skipper Rabin Byanjankar some four yards inside the D-Box, but referee Birendra Pandey was kind enough for BBC not to award a penalty kick. In the 77th minute, Chandra Tamang of Friends Club muffed up a close chance inside the penalty area on his skipper Rabin Byanjankar’s pass, while Rabin failed to convert a close-range chance on Chandra Tamang’s corner in the 79th minute. Skipper Ramesh Rana Magar, Bishnu Sunuwar and Kumar Sunuwar of BBC and Friends Club’s Sushil KC and Birat Thapa were booked. BBC coach Alan Cairns was sent off from the official box for using foul languages to the referee and linesmen.