Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 8:

Utsav KC scored the lone goal as Boys Union Club beat Friends Club 1-0 in the inaugural match of the Birthday Cup football tournament, which has been organised by All Nepal Football Association, here at Dasharath Stadium today.

Utsav’s goal came just before the first-half whistle, when the striker beat three defenders and Friends Club goalkeeper Rajeev Shrestha before firing the ball into the net in an counter attack.

Friends Club should have taken the lead in the 15th minute, but Sri Ram Shrestha muffed up an easy scoring opportunity inside the six-yard box area following Shishir Adhikari’s cross.

Friends Club skipper Rabin Byanjankar laboured hard

in the 21st minute, but his close-range shot rebounded to play hitting Boys Union goalkeeper Amir Byanjankar. Chandra Tamang of Friends controlled the ball and passed it to Rabin, who found the net but was unlucky this time as the assistant referee Sailesh Joshi raised the flag adjudging him off-side.

Boys Union almost took lead in the 27th minute, but Suman Shrestha’s powerful shot from 20 yards went inches wide.

Second-half substitute Ujjwal Shrestha should have doubled the tally for Boys Union in the 65th minute, but the striker failed to score despite making three attempts on one-to-one situation with Friends custodian Rajeev Shrestha, before a defender came to the rescue for Friends. Friends Club skipper Byanjankar almost levelled the scores two minutes later, but the most experienced player of the team ended up with a wide shot from the penalty box.

FIFA referee Gyani Raja Shrsetha cautioned five players during the match — Muskan Choche and Ramesh Maharjan of Friends and Utsav KC, Prajjwol Chhetry and Anuj Ghale of Boys Union.

Earlier, NSC member secretary Kishor Bahadur Singh inaugurated the tournament.

On Thursday, newly-promoted Machhindra FC will take on Sankata Club.