local briefs
Aaha Gold Cup draw out
POKHARA: Defending champions Nepal Police Club and Nabil Three Star Club were drawn in the Pool ‘A’ for the seventh Aaha Gold Cup Invitational Football Tournament scheduled here for January 27 to February 7. The other teams in the group are ANFA Aademy’s Under-19 team, hosts Sahara Club, Belghari Sporting Club of Kolakata and Rupandehi XI.
The Pool ‘B’ consists of Tribhuvan Army Club, New Road Team, Nepal APF Club, Dharan Football Club and Sahara UK. The draw for the 12 teams were held on Sunday. Sahara Club is the organiser of the annual tournament, which is considered one of the prestigious tournaments held outside the Kathmandu Valley. — HNS
Workers’ Cup begins
BHAKTAPUR: All the three departmental teams and Madhyapur Thimi Municipality registered wins in the inaugural day matches of the sixth Worker’s Cup Nationwide Men’s Volleyball Tournament, organised by Youth Sports Club, here at the Martyrs Memorial Ground on Sunday. In the first match, Nepal APF Club defeated hosts team 25-15, 25-7, 25-27, while Nepal Police Club beat Volleyball Training Centre of Myagdi 25-14, 25-12, 26-28, 25-17. Madhyapur Thimi outplayed Jawalakhel Volleyball Training Centre 25-17, 25-23, 25-17 and Tribhuvan Army Club defeated hosts team 25-7, 25-10, 25-7, after Banepa Municipality could not arrive due to blockade at the Araniko Highway. Earlier, secretary of Nepal Volleyball Association Birendra Khadka inaugurated the tournament. The top four teams will get Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. — HNS
Pulchowk win opener
LALITPUR: Pulchowk Engineering College ‘A’ beat Advance ‘A’ 2-0 in the inaugural match of the Advance Inter-Technical Football Tournament here at the FIFA Technical Centre in Chyasal on Sunday. Dinesh Maharjan and Utsav Dhungana scored for the winners. Sailesh Bista was named the man of the match. In other matches, Paurakh Thapa scored solitary goal in Kathford’s 1-0 win over National Engineering College, while Manoj Kumar Poudel struck a hat-trick as IoM, Maharajgunj thrashed Advance ‘B’ 5-0. Sudan Puri netted the other two goals. Vice President of Cricket Association of Nepal and CEO of Golden Gate College Ramesh Silwal inaugurated the tournament. In all, 12 teams are taking part in the eight-day event. — HNS