LALITPUR, MAY 11
Nkoto Synous Masoabi scored a brace as Jawalakhel Youth Club hammered Friends Club 4-1 and moved back to the summit of the Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the Chyasal Stadium today.
Masoabi netted one each on either half including a penalty, while Rahul Rahul and Fode Fofana added one apiece for Jawalakhel. Shyam Baby Kyapchhki scored the consolation goal for Friends. With their ninth win - second in three days after their 1-0 victory over Himalayan Sherpa Club - JYC accumulated 30 points from 17 matches.
JYC returned to the summit on head-to-head results after being tied with Church Boys United, who have played one match fewer. Friends, who faced their eighth defeat, remained at the 11th position with 19 points and they are just three points above lastplaced Nepal Police Club (16) in the 14-team standings. Rahul opened the scoring in the 25th minute when he headed home on a corner from Abdulaziz Nishonbaev. JYC doubled the tally six minutes later after Masoabi found the back of the nets following a free kick from Nishonbaev. JYC made it 3-0 from the spot in the 64th minute. Angel Maharjan handled the ball inside the box and Masoabi converted the resulting penalty to score his second goal of the match.
Masoabi came close to completing the hat-trick in the 75th minute but Friends goalkeeper Raja Babu Thapa blocked his powerful shot from the edge of the area. Kyapchhki cut the deficit in the 80th minute but Fofana restored JYC's three-goal advantage in the first minute of the injury time to wrap up the convincing victory following a pass from Masoabi.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 12, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
