Butwal, February 28

Tribhuvan Army Club thrashed Nepal Police Club 3-1 and advanced to the semi-finals of the 19th Tilottama Gold Cup Football Tournament here at the ANFA Technical Centre grounds in Devi Nagar today.

Bibek Basnet, Rajiv Gurung and Deep Lama scored a goal each for TAC, while Nir Kumar Rai scored the consolation goal for NPC in the quarter-final match.

Basnet opened the scoring for TAC in the 20th before Gurung doubled the tally in the 38th minute. NPC’s Rai cut the deficit in the 83rd minute and kept their hopes alive for the semi-final spot. However, Lama restored the lead for TAC in the 83rd minute.

NPC had travelled to Butwal after winning the 19th International Invitational Red Bull Budha Subba Gold Cup Football Tournament in Dharan on February 25 but were knocked out of the tournament after facing a defeat against departmental rivals TAC.

TAC’s Bibek Basnet was named the man-of-the-match.