Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 8:

Upendra Man Singh made a couple of brilliant saves as Three Star Club held Regar TadAZg of Tajikistan to a goalless draw to enter the semi-finals of the first AFC President’s Cup Football Tournament here at Dasharath Stadium.

Regar TadAZg, who thrashed Transport United 6-1 and then outplayed Tai Power Company 3-0 in previous matches, was expected to beat Three Star Club. But goalkeeper-skipper Singh’s brilliant performance in the first half stopped them from scoring. Three Star defenders also put up an outstanding performance in the match.

As in the earlier matches, Three Star Club played with just one striker, Santosh Sahukhala. The physically stronger Regar TadAZg players, who also had the height advantage over the Nepali players, dominated the field throughout the match but failed to score.

Sahukhala had a chance in the seventh minute, but ended up with a wide shot from the close range following Vishan Gauchan’s pass. Regar TadAZg almost took lead in the 10th minute, but Three Star gloves man Singh saved Abdullo Umarbeav’s powerful right-footer from the edge of the penalty box.

Khurshed Makhmudov forced Singh to make another brilliant save a minute later when the national team goalkeeper spectacularly punched out the Tajikistan striker’s close-range shot.

The Three Star club players failed to test Regar TadAZg goalkeeper Umedzhan Khodzhim-urodov. Pradeep Maharjan came close to scoring in the 18th minute, but the midfielder could not trouble the Tajikistan custodian Kho-dzhimurodov.

In the 78th minute, Upendra made another outstanding save when he punched out Akhliddin Turdiev’s 25-yarder free kick.

Three Star Club coach Dhurba Bahadur KC was more than happy with his boys’ performance. “The boys performed more than expected. They gave 100 per cent in today’s match and we succeeded in holding the opponents,” he said.

Regar TadAZg coach Mahmadjon Habibuloev said that the match was tough. “We failed to capitalise on our chances,” he said. Skipper of the Tajikistan team Rustam Tabarov said that

the Nepali team was not lacking in skills. “The goalkeeping and the defence of Three Star was superb and the luck was also not on our side today,” he said.

In the other match of Pool A held at APF Stadium in Halchowk, Tai Power Company of Chinese Taipei edged out Transport United of Bhutan 1-0. The Taipei team earned four points while Bhutanese team returned empty-handed.

Tai Power took lead through Shih-Lu Chiang in the 39th minute when he guided the ball from almost the centre of the field dodging as many as three defenders before firing the ball into the net.

“We would have won the previous match against Tajikistan had my players not been indisposed,” said TPC coach Kuei-Jen Chen, who also revealed that their first target was to reach the semi-finals.

On Monday, Dordoi-Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan, who have already entered the semi-finals from Pool B, will take on already-ousted WAPDA of Pakistan at APF Stadium in Halchowk,

while Hello United of Cambodia and Blue Star Sports Club of Sri Lanka — with both the teams having three points each — will fight for a place in the last four at Dasharath Stadium.