BUC hold TAC; Three Star win

KATHMANDU: Nabil Three Star Club defeated Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club 2-1 to register their first victory after four matches, while Tribhuvan Army Club played a 3-3 draw against Boys Union Club at the Martyrs Memorial A Division Football League here at the Dasharath Stadium today.

After the results, Three Star climbed two spot up to seventh place with eight points, pushing JYC — who have four points — to relegation zone. The Armymen have earned eight points to remain ahead of Three Star on better goal difference, while Boys Union came out of relegation zone.

Santosh Sahukhala and Anjan KC struck for Three Star while Yogesh Shrestha replied for JYC bringing his fifth goal in the league. Three Star went to the second half with a 1-0 lead after Sahukhala scored from 10 yards capitalising on skipper Pradeep Maharjan's pass in the second minute of injury time.

Sahukhala once again came into play when he and Anjan played a one-two pass before Anjan chipped the ball over the advancing JYC goalkeeper Bikram Gurung in the 64th minute. Yogesh replied in the 74th minute giving a goalline finish to Laxmi Shrestha's supply. Laxmi had earlier missed on three scoring opportunities. The striker's powerful shot in the 47th minute was punched by Three Star goalie Kiran Chemjong.

In the 57th minute, Laxmi beat the offside trap to meet a Yogesh pass but his shot in a one-on-one encounter with Chemjong rebounded off the bar and in the 68th minute he failed to cash in on a chance when Chemjong had advanced forward leaving the post unattended.

Three Star included Tanzanian Castory D Mumbara in their playing set and the player justified his presence in the 13th minute supplying an acute pass to unmarked Sahukhala with a brilliant skill but the latter couldn't meet his cross in the goal line. JYC glovesman Gurung also denied Sahukhala in a one-on-one encounter in the 25th minute.

Three Star's French midfielder Jocelyn Morgan Pierce's free header on Anjan's corner went wide in the 70th minute and skipper Pradeep didn't bother to reach on Bijay Gurung's sublime cross in the goal line in the 73rd minute.

Earlier, an injury time stunner from Ashim Karki forced the Armymen to share points with Boys Union Club. The Armymen got a gift in the fifth minute after Sagar Ghimire ridiculously kicked the ball into his own nets while defending Bikarna Shrestha whose shot rebounded off BUC goalie Binaya Shrestha. Raju Tamang doubled the team's lead in the 30th minute finishing on Shiva Chaudhary's supply.

Sudip Limbu then brought BUC back in the match scoring in the 40th minute. Bibi Raj Limbu extended TAC's lead in the 76th minute following a cross from Santosh Nepali and two minutes later Komal Shrestha reduced the margin in rebound off TAC goalkeeper Bikash Malla. Karki then came with the equaliser in the first minute of the injury time with a powerfully struck shot that left Malla stranded.

Today’s matches

• NPC vs Machhindra

@ 1:30PM

• Friends vs APF

@ 3:30PM