Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 25:

Ananta Thapa snatched a late equaliser for Mahendra Police Club and Pralay Rajbhandari missed a spot kick for Three Star Club as the policemen beat league champions 5-4 on penalties in the final of the Birthday Cup football tournament today. MPC received Rs 1,00,000 and Three Star got Rs 50,000. Both the teams were reduced to 10 men each. MPC’s Ananta Thapa got second yellow after scoring the equaliser for taking off his jersey, while TSC’s Janak Singh received the marching orders in the 118th minute. In total, FIFA referee Gyani Raja Shrestha showed 11 yellow cards. Surendra Tamang put Three Star ahead in the 61st minute with a powerful shot from close range. In the 88th minute, Ananta Thapa ruined the Three Star party with a fine header. TSC have not win any tournament in Kathmandu since their promotion to ‘A’ Division in 1982. In the tie-breaker, Deepak Poudel, Parbat Pandey, Kishor Subba, Ju Manu Rai and Hari Khadka scored for MPC while Surendra Tamang, Anjan KC, Rajesh Shahi and Lok Bandhu Gurung scored for Three Star. “The win was possible because of the team spirit,” said MPC skipper Hari Khadka, who led the team to victory in his first captaincy. On the other hand, TSC skipper Upendra Man Singh said that his boys failed to capitalise on the oportunities they got in the second half.