Kathmandu, February 11:

Mahendra Police Club (MPC) regained the lead with a 2-0 win over New Road Team (NRT) while Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) registered a 3-2 ‘dramatic’ victory over Sankata Kathmandu Mall Club at the Martyrs Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football here at the Dasharath Stadium today.

Ramesh Budathoki and Ananta Thapa scored for MPC in the first match. Dipen Shrestha struck twice and Gaurav Thapa scored one for JYC while Pravin Karki and Chetan Ghimire netted for Sankata.

The 54th-minute substitute Budhathoki put MPC ahead when he fired home on Jumanu Rai pass in the 65th minute before Ananta ensured their win adding another with a spectacular drive from the edge of the box.

In the second match, Pravin capitalised on JYC goalie Raju Yogi’s blunder to put Sankata ahead in the 30th minute before Gaurav levelled the scores in the first half injury time through a spot kick. Chetan again put Sankata ahead in the 62nd minute but Dipen equalised in the 77th before scoring the winner in the 88th minute.

A mockery of football

KATHMANDU: This wasn’t the first case. And it will not be the last one either.

The National Football League match between Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) and Sankata Club

at the Dasharath Stadium on Sunday was an absolute mockery of what the legendary footballer Pele once termed as “a beautiful game.”

Sankata seemed hell bent to lose the game while relegation-threatened JYC were finding it hard to score despite having numerous chances provided by their opponents. Spectators were stunned by what they saw especially towards the end of the match.

Sankata were desperate to concede goal but JYC players compounded their desperation by squadering as many as half-dozen opportunities. Sankata looked reluctant to chase the JYC players while leaving their opponents unmarked inside the penalty area. Sankata goalkeeper diving the wrong way and mis-passes were also the features of the match indicating towards a possible ‘fixing’ of the game. JYC won the match 3-2.

Incidents of ‘fixing’ the match are quite common in the league every year and the match wasn’t new this year either. The only difference was that some games give the clear indications of the foul-play while others are intricately woven. More than five games have already come under such suspicion this season alone involving Saraswoti Club, Boys Union and RCT. — HNS

Today’s matches

• MFC vs SYC @ 12:30pm

• BUC vs BBC @ 2:30pm