Nepal APF Club win women's league
Lalitpur, July 31
Nepal APF Club won the title of the Vice-president Women's National Football League here at the ANFA Complex grounds on Tuesday.
Sabitra Bhandari scored a hat-trick as APF defeated departmental rivals Tribhuvan Army Club 3-1 in the last match of the five-team league. APF accumulated maximum 12 points from four matches, while TAC finished second with nine points. Rautahat were third with six points.
Bhandari opened the scoring in the 40th minute and added two more in the second half to complete her third hat-trick of the tournament. Poonam Jargha Magar of TAC levelled the scores four minutes into the second half before Bhandari restored the lead in the 54th minute.
Bhandari then sealed the victory with her third goal of the match in the 82nd minute and took her personal tally to 12 goals. She had slammed four goals against Rautahat DFA and five against Kathmandu. Bhandari was named the most valuable player of the tournament and she received Rs 25,000.
In the day's another match, Nepal Police Club hammered Kathmandu DFA 9-0. Niru Thapa scored four goals alone, while Nirmala Upadhaya struck twice and Ghim Kumari Gurung, Nirmala BK and Manju Gurung netted one each for the NPC.
Champions APF received Rs 200,000, while runners-up TAC earned Rs 100,000. Rautahat, who finished third, got Rs 50,000. Meanwhile, Janak Singh of APF was named the best coach of the tournament, while Rautahat's Rashmi Kumari Ghising (forward), TAC's Poonam Jargha Magar (defender) and APF duo Reunka Nagarkoti (midfielder) and Anjila Thumbapo Subba (goalkeeper) won the best individual awards. They got Rs 5,000 each. A total of five teams - three departmental sides and two district FAs - took part in the tournament which was played under round robin league format.
