Dharan, March 15:

New Road Team (NRT) defeated NIBL Friends Club 2-0 in the final of the 10th Budha Subba Tuborg Gold Cup Football Tournament here at the Dharan Stadium today.

NRT won their maiden title in Dharan in their fifth participation, while Friends were also the first finalists here. Nirajan Rayamajhi and Subash Rai scored for NRT.

Friends dominated the field throughout the match, but NRT emerged victorious after the Friends Club players failed to utilise their opportunities.

Rayamajhi put NRT ahead in the third minute of the match with a one-touch shot from close range on Anil Gurung’s pass.

NRT doubled the tally in the 83rd minute through Subash Rai’s penalty which they earned after Bikash Singh Chhetry brought down Anil Gurung inside the ball in counter-attack.

Friends almost got an equaliser in the 16th minute but NRT goalkeeper Surendra Shrestha was quick enough to punch out Anjan KC’s free kick. Sandeep Rai saved NRT in the 32nd minute when cleared the ball from the d-box. NRT failed to threaten the Friends goal as they failed to penetrate through the Friends led by skipper Nur Raj kafle.

Even NRT coach Raju Kaji Shakya praised Friends Club players for their effort. “They dominated the match, but we succeeded in scoring. This is what the football is all about,” said Shakya.

The winners received Rs 100,000 while the runners up got Rs 50,000 apart from the shields, medals and certificates. National Sports Council vice president Sitaram Maskey and Aashish Bista of Gorkha Brewery gave away prizes to the winners.

Anil Gurung bagged two individual honours — best players of the tournament award of Rs 25,000 and the highest scorer’s award of Rs 40,000. The Rs 5,000 man of the final award went to Friends Club’s Nirajan Khadka.