Bara, March 26
Defending champions New Road Team beat Birgunj United 1-0 and advanced to the semi-finals of the 13th Jagdamba Jitpur-Simara Gold Cup here at the Simara Stadium today.
Ashok Thapa scored the solitary goal of the match in the first half. Fed by Kritish Ratna Chunju inside the box, Thapa slammed home a spectacular goal in the 29th minute. Thapa was later adjudged the player of the match and he earned Rs 10,000.
NRT took control of the match in the first half but they were not able to double the tally. The B division outfit Birgunj came as a different side in the second half and created a couple of chances.
Bibek Chaudhary came close to scoring in the 48th minute but he shot wide from close range. Birgunj should have levelled the scores in the 54th minute but Kripa Chaudhary shot into the hands of NRT goalkeeper Pujan Hona in one-on-one situation.
Birgunj created another chance in the 74th minute and this time they were unlucky as Sagar Chaudhary headed against the cross bar following a cross from Niraj Thapa Magar. The toothless Birgunj wasted yet another chance in the 84th minute when NRT goalkeeper Hona saved Kripa Chaudhary's header on a pass from Niraj Thapa Magar. And Kripa Chaudhary failed to score in an open post after dodging goalkeeper Hona in the injury time.
At the other end, Ashok Thapa headed wide on a pass from Ratnachunju in the seventh minute, while Birgunj defender cleared the ball from goalline to deny Thapa in the 64th minute.
On Saturday, Makawanpur-XI defeated Bharatpur FC 4-3 on penalties to make it to the last four. Bharatpur came from two goals down to make it 2-2 in the regulation period and the teams were deadlocked at 3-3 in the extra time.
Sanjib Aryal, Manish Poudel, Sujan Gurung and Sudip Shrestha scored for Makawanpur in tie-breaker, while Abinash Khadka's shot was blocked by Bharatpur goalkeeper Manoj Gurung. Sajin Thapa, Bhishma Chhetry and Sunil Shrestha converted their kicks for Bharatpur, while Tipsan Rai shot over the bar and Akash Thapa Magar hit the post.
Earlier, Sujan Gurung and Manish Poudel scored inside the first 10 minutes to put Makawanpur 2-0 ahead.
Bhishma Chhetry cut the deficit in the 33rd minute and Sajin Thapa Magar levelled the scores in the 55th minute.
Makawanpur took the lead in the fifth minute of the extra time when Bharatpur's Sudhamsha Chaudhary scored an own goal while trying to clear the ball. Sanil Shrestha made it 3-3 10 minutes later to push the match to tie-breaker.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 27, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
