Kathmandu, March 18
Manang Marshyangdi Club came from a goal down to beat APF Football Club 2-1 in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the Dasharath Stadium today.
Armand Beadoum put APF ahead before Kamal Thapa and substitute Sayidjamol Davlatjonov scored in the second half for MMC to lift them to second position with 11 points. MMC recorded their second straight victory to go move ahead of Church Boys United, who also have 11 points from five matches.
They are one point behind leaders Satdobato Youth Club, who have 12 points from five matches.
Beadoum opened the scoring for the departmental team in the 34th minute with a glancing header from just outside the six-yard box following a sublime cross from Nabin Lama. Thapa levelled the scores in the 53rd minute when he put the ball into the corner of the goal after taking a pass from Sumit Shrestha.
MMC should have taken the lead in the 58th minute when Ashish Gurung headed towards the goal on a corner from Thapa but APF defender Man Bahadur Rana Magar made a goalline clearance to rescue his team.
MMC finally went ahead in the 72nd minute after Davlatjonov buried the ball into the nets with a powerful shot from outside box.
APF, who were a bit slow after the break compared to an entertaining first half, remained at the sixth position with seven points.
Earlier, Nepal Police Club opened their accounts with after they salvaged a 1-1 draw with New Road Team. Sanjeeb Bista put NRT ahead before Pratap Gurung levelled the scores for NPC, who got their first points after four consecutive defeats.
While NRT are at the 13th place with two points from five matches, four-time champions NPC are at the bottom of the 14-team table with one point.
After a goalless first half, Bista opened the scoring for NRT after NPC goalkeeper Sanjeet Shrestha literally gifted the goal with a feeble clearance in the 65th minute and Bista pounced to the loose ball before burying into the unguarded nets. NPC levelled the scores in the 77th minute after Gurung converted the free kick into a sensational goal from 25 yards out.
At the Chyasal Stadium, Tribhuvan Army Football Club came from a goal down to edge past Friends Club 2-1.
Gillespye Jung Karki and Deepak Gurung scored for TAFC after Rafiq Aminu had put Friends ahead. After the win, TAFC moved to fifth place with eight points, while Friends remained at 12th position with four points.
Aminu put Friends ahead with an early goal in the sixth minute, while Karki levelled the scores in the 24th minute.
At a time when the match was heading towards a draw, Gurung produced the moment of brilliance and scored the winning goal for the departmental side in the fourth minute of the injury time.
After the completion of first five rounds, the league will now have a break of two weeks.
Nepal national team will participate in the Prime Minister Three Nations Cup from March 22-31 at the Dasharath Stadium.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 19, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
