KATHMANDU: NIB Friends Club defeated bottom of the table Boys Union Club (BUC) 2-1 while Machhindra Football Club held Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) to a 1-1 stalemate for their sixth draw at the Martyrs Memorial San Miguel A Division League here today.

The results did not affect the standings as Friends stayed fifth with 15 points from nine matches while strugglers BUC are at the bottom with five. With six points, TAC lie at the sixth spot on better goal difference to Machhindra.

Friends got both the goals in the second half through Bharat Khawas and Nirajan Khadka. In between Sudeep Limbu struck for BUC, after the side had muffed up three clear chances on goal in the first half. Shekhar Limbu set up a free header to Krishna Lama in the 20th minute but he couldn’t give the proper direction. In the 26th minute Bishnu Sunuwar’s 30-yard shot was brilliantly punched by Friends goalie Rupak Shrestha. The goalie also denied Sudeep five minutes later. Friends came up strong after the break and deservedly took lead in the 55th minute. Bharat earned a spot kick and converted himself after Bishnu was adjudged to have brought down the striker in the danger zone.

BUC, however, replied six minutes later through Sudeep, who headed home a corner from Sanjiv Tamang. Nirajan then put Friends ahead with a fine shot from the area following a cross from Buddha Chemjong in the 86th minute. Friends coach Mrigendra Mishra said he was happy with the three points but not with the performance. “It was a shame to concede a header goal to the shortest man in BUC line-up,” said Mishra.

BUC coach Kumar Katuwal said the penalty changed the complexion of the match. “Conceding a spot kick when the striker was not in an obvious scoring opportunity was foolish on part of our defender,” he said.

Earlier, Machhindra once again came with an impressive show but had to settle for their sixth draw after their strikers failed to capitalise on good works from the midfield. Machhindra took the 12th-minute lead after Mozambique striker Eze Collins struck a superb one touch goal in his debut. Machhindra’s Brazillian midfielder Daniel Sores Nevez struck a powerful shot from the edge but it went wide.

The Armymen found the equaliser in the 52nd minute after Santosh Nepali’s diving header on Raju Tamang’s free kick kissed the nets. Machhindra goalie Bishal Magar made two saves, punching a powerful shot from Hari Mahato in the 33rd minute before parrying a Raju Tamang shot in the 77th. Bibek Raj Bhandari, who came all the way from Nepalgunj, was picked up from the San Miguel Fan Zone to present the man-of-the-match award to Raju Tamang.