Sarlahi, February 18

Nepal APF Club and CMG Club Sankata played a goalless draw in a friendly football match here at the Hirapur football grounds today.

In a match which was organised to inaugurate the grounds and promote the game in the region, Sankata’s African recruit Moussa Jone came close to scoring in the first half but his header was saved by APF glovesman Raju Yogi. Moussa also unlucky moments before the first-half whistle after APF’s Sudip Shikhrakar cleared the from goal line.

APF coach Kumar Thapa said the friendly match was an important one as it was played for a cause. “Both Sankata and APF have been travelling a lot playing in mofussil tournaments. We will be heading to Dharan immediately after this. But I am happy as the friendly match was played to promote the sport in the district,”  said Thapa.

Lawmaker Narendra Saha initiated the construction of the grounds where hundreds of locals gathered to watch the match. “I have made a commitment to construct a football ground here with an aim of making the people of the region healthy. With a little help from government and with the saving I made from the salary, we are going to construct the grounds,” said Saha during the inauguration of the grounds. “I know football has immense potential in this part of the country and I want all to enjoy the game.”

Saha also honoured former national team player Jumanu Rai, who had learnt basics of the game at the same grounds where national player Aditya Chaudhary also played during his early age. Lawmaker Sah also honoured former national team skippers Upendra Man Singh and Bal Gopal Maharjan on the occasion.