Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 5:

Blue Star Club of Sri Lanka and Dordoi-Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan registered wins on the second day of the first AFC President’s Cup Football Tournament here today.

Blue Star edged out Water and Power Development Association (WAPDA) of Pakistan 1-0, while Dordoi-Dynamo thrashed Hello United of Cambodia 6-1.

At Dasharath Stadium, Sri Lankan national player Duddley Lincoln Steinwall scored the only goal when his powerful shot from 40 yards found the net. WAPDA goalkeeper Majid Mehmood could have saved the ball, which kissed his gloves before entering into the post.

But team manager Khalid Qureshi defended his glovesman at the post-match conference saying, “That’s not a blunder, the luck was on the Sri Lankan side.” He also said that he was not disappointed with his boys’ performance. “Luck favoured them and we lost,” he said.

On the other hand, Sri Lankan team manager Mohamed Barisha was happy with his players’

performance. “This is our first match in the tournament and the boys played well,” he said.

WAPDA should have taken the lead in the ninth minute, but Imran Niazi failed to convert after dodging a defender inside the D-Box. In the 28th minute, Muhammad Niaz failed to connect inside the box following Khuda Bakhsh’s cross.

The second half belonged to Sri Lankan midfielder Duddley Lincoln Steinwall and his missed opportunities. Duddley almost doubled the tally in the 55th minute, but his close range shot went inches over the cross bar.

Two minutes later, WAPDA defender Mohammad Jamshaid Anwar cleared Duddley’s header from goalline on Mohamed Rawme Mohideen’s corner.

Blue Star’s Chathura Maduranga Weerasingha was taken to hospital after the Sri Lankan team midfielder injured his ankle in the 51st minute.

At Halchowk, Kasymov Marlen and Krasnov Andrey struck two goals each as Dordoi-Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan thrashed Hello United of Cambodia 6-1 in the other Group B match.

Dordoi took lead through Marlen in the 22nd minute when he headed home the first goal on Kononov Vasily’s rebound. A minute later, Krasnov Andrey doubled

the tally when he found the net in one-to-one situation with Cambodian defender Chea Sameth.

Four minutes later, Dynamo striker Chikishev Sergey headed home the third goal on Chertkov Vladimir’s rebound in the 27th minute.

In the 38th minute, Andrey made it 4-0 when he scored his second goal from the six-yard box.

Fed by Hok Sotitya, Hok Sochetra of Hello United pulled one back in the 39th minute. Three minutes later, Kasymov Marlen headed home for Dynamo following Berezovsky Valery’s corner. Berezovsky Valery of Dynamo completed the rout in the 71st minute.

“Our boys have not yet acclimatised here. We hope for a better result in the next match,” said Dordoi-Dynamo coach Mihali Tiagusov at the post-match press meet. “The overall performance was satisfactory, but the boys did not play to their full potential,” said Hello United coach Heng Chanteang, adding: “The opponents were physically stronger than us.”

On Friday, Three Star Club of Nepal will take on Transport United of Bhutan at Dasharath Stadium, and Regar TadAZg of Tajikistan will play against Tai Power Company of Chinese Taipei at APF Stadium, Halchowk.