Lalitpur, February 11

Skipper Bharat Khawas reached the 50-goal milestone as Tribhuvan Army Club defeated Brigade Boys Club 3-0 to reclaim the lead in the Qatar Airways Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the ANFA Complex grounds today.

Bikash Tamang and Tek Bahadur Budhathoki added one each after Khawas’ opener to take the departmental side to the top of the table with 29 points with one match remaining.

San Miguel Machhindra Club slipped to second with 28 points. The top two sides will meet each other in the final match of the league on Saturday at the Dasharath Stadium. While TAC can win their maiden league title with a draw, Machhindra need an outright victory in the last round match.

Khawas reached the 50-goal milestone in league when he opened the scoring with a header in the fifth minute of the match following a perfect cross from George Prince Karki. Fed by Santosh Tamang inside the box, Bikash Tamang headed home to double the tally in the 54th minute before man-of-the-match Budhathoki put the issue beyond doubt in rebound after BBC goalkeeper Bishal Sunar blocked George Prince Karki’s initial strike in the 70th minute.

With his fourth goal of the ongoing league, Khawas became the seventh footballer to complete 50 goals. Khawas, who started the league career with Sankata Club in 2007, netted five goals in his debut season before adding another five for Friends in 2011.

He then played for Nepal Police Club in the next season and netted 14 goals. He joined TAC in 2012 and scored four goals in the debut season with the Armymen.

After completing the officer cadet training and going through various injuries, Khawas scored seven goals in the previous season. Khawas dedicated his achievement to his wife Ruma Awale and daughter Swornika.

“They usually do not miss my game but they could not come to the stadium today. It would have been perfect had they watched the game,” said emotional Khawas. “It’s not an easy journey but I am not going to stop here. I will be giving everything to follow the footsteps of Santosh Sahukhala and reach the 100-goal milestone,” he added. Chyasal Youth Club skipper Sahukhala became the first player to reach three figures in the ongoing season.

TAC coach Nabin Neupane congratulated Khawas for the achievement and said his side was on right track to lift the title. “We got the desired result today and we were also able to save the players from injury and cards for the last match,” said the former national team midfielder. “We use our full strength for the power-packed game against Machhindra to lift the title with victory,” he added.

In another match, defending champions NOC Manang Marshyangdi Club climbed to third with a 2-0 victory over Nepal Police Club. Bimal Rana and Anjan Bista scored one goal each for MMC, who are already out of title contention.

MMC accumulated 25 points from 12 matches, while NPC, who were reduced to 10 men in the 90th minute after Bishal Basnet was expelled for a harsh foul on Bimal Rana, remained at the sixth place with 17 points.

MMC goalkeeper Deep Karki was named the Kelme man of the match.

Also, Ruslan Three Star beat New Road Team 1-0 to briefly move to third before being replaced by MMC.

Three Star accumulated 23 points and are at the fourth position, while NRT are eighth with 15 points. Substitute Dipesh Ghale scored the solitary goal for Three Star in the 77th minute when he found the back of the nets with a powerful shot from the box. Three Star custodian Guillaume Yves Priso Njanga won the Kelme man-of-the-match award.