NRT lift Junior League trophy

Lalitpur, May 18 :

New Road Team (NRT) beat Friends’ Club 3-1 in the final of the Nepal Bank ‘A’ Division Junior League Football Tournament here today.

Naresh Pokharel, Gyanu Lama and Suman Khadka scored a goal each for NRT while Bikram Adhikari scored for Friends. Pokharel put NRT ahead in the 24th minute through a superb freekick following a foul by Friends’ Barshad Gurung. Gurung was sent off for double bookings. Friends Club equalised in the 54th minute as Bikram Adhikari lofted over the NRT goalie Song Song Gurung.

The match went to extra time after a 1-1 draw in the regulation 70-minute time. Gyanu Lama Suman Khadka sealed NRT’s victory adding one each in the 73rd and 82nd minute.

Song Song Maharjan of NRT won the best goalkeeper’s award and his teammate Naresh Pokharel was awarded the best defender of the tournament. Shiva Shrestha of MPC was declared the best midfielder while Friends’ Club’s Nirajan Malla won the best striker and highest scorer’s (eight goals) awards. NRT won a cheque of Rs 100,000 and Friends’ Club earned Rs 50,000. The losing semi-finalists JYC and MMC got Rs 25,000 each.