Kathmandu, January 21:

Ramesh Budathoki’s 80th minute strike rescued Mahendra Police Club to a 1-1 draw against NIB Friends Club while Carlsberg Manang Marsyangdi Club hammered struggling Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) 6-0 in the Martyrs Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football today.

With the result, MPC squandered a chance to level the points with leaders Tribhuvan Army Club, which has 47 points, two more than MPC. Friends climbed up to sixth with 26 points on better goal difference than Machhindra Energizer Club.

Sishir Adhikari gave Friends an early lead in the sixth minute and Budhathoki found the equaliser late in the second half when he scored from close following a Hari Khadka freekick.

In the second match, Anil Gurung scored a hat-trick while Basanta Gauchan, Khum Gurung and Salau Nurudeen netted a goal each for MMC. Gauchan opened the scoring spree in the 14th minute when he found the net from the edge of the box. Khum doubled the tally in the 38th minute and Anil made it 3-0 in the 55th.

Anil scored his second goal of the game on a pass from Nurudeen in the 78th minute. Nurudeen also joined the party when he converted on a well-worked cross from Anil in the 79th minute. Anil completed the rout scoring his third goal when he lobbed over the advancing JYC goalie Raju Yogi three minute into the injury time. It was Anil’s fourth hat-trick of the season equalling Armyman Bikarna Shrestha’s tally. Anil has so far scored 18 goals, seven less than Bikarna.

League postponed

KATHMANDU: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) indefinitely postponed the ongoing Martyrs Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football from Monday. The indifinite transportation strike called by the National Federation of the Nepalese National Transportation Entrepreneurs on Sunday prompted the organisers to take the decision, said the ANFA.— HNS