JYC, Sherpa settle for a draw

Lalitpur, February 12

Prabhu Jawalakhel Youth Club and Yeti Himalayan Sherpa Club played a 3-3 draw in the Qatar Airways Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the ANFA Complex grounds today.

Stephane Samir Deiubeni scored a brace and Bijay Shrestha netted one for Sherpa, while Kuber Bisht, Fode Fofana and Rup Bahadur Bista replied Jawalakhel. After the completion of the 12 rounds, Tribhuvan Army Club are at the top with 29 points, one more than San Miguel Machhindra Club.

Defending champions NOC Manang Marshyangdi Club are third with 25 points.

Ruslan Three Star Club are at the fourth position with 23 points, while JYC remained at the fifth with 19 followed by Nepal Police Club (17). Three teams, New Road Team, Chyasal Youth Club and Sankata Club are tied on 15 points, whereas NIBL Friends Club are 10th with 11 points. With the day’s draw, Sherpa accumulated 11 points to remain at the 11th position, followed by Nepal APF Mahindra Football Team (eight) and Brigade Boys Club (eight). Saraswoti Youth Club (four) have been relegated to B Division with one match remaining.

In the last match of the penultimate round, Sherpa opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Deiubeni found the back of the nets with a wonderful shot from the right wing. Bijay Shrestha doubled the tally in the 27th minute following a pass from Deiubeni.

JYC were reduced to 10 men in the 35th minute when goalkeeper Arun Blon was expelled for handling the ball outside the penalty box. Substitute goalkeeper Tekendra Thapa guarded the JYC post after he replaced defender Sushil Kumar Yadav in the 39th minute.

Against the run of the play and despite being a man down, JYC reduced the deficit after substitute Kuber Bisht found the back of the nets following a pass from Fofana in the second minute of the injury time. Bisht had replaced defender Suraj Ghimire in the 33rd minute.

The JYC joy did not last long as Deiubeni restored the two-goal cushion with his second goal of the match a minute later.

After the break, Fofana headed home to make it 3-2 for JYC in the 60th minute. Sherpa were reduced to 10 men in the 67th minute when he collected the second yellow card of the match and Rup Bahadur Lama converted the resulting free kick into a sensational goal to level the scores. Kuber Bista of JYC was named the Kelme man of the match.

The final round will begin on Thursday with three matches — NPC vs Friends; APF vs BBC; and Saraswoti vs Sankata — at the ANFA Complex grounds, while another three games — Sherpa vs NRT; Three Star vs Chyasal; and JYC vs MMC — are slated for Friday at the same venue.

The last match of the league between leaders TAC and second-placed Machhindra will be played at the Dasharath Stadium on Saturday. TAC can claim the maiden title with a draw, whereas Machhindra need an outright victory.