Bikram Dhimal, Adelaja Oluwawunmi and Santosh Tamang got on the scoresheet as Biratnagar City FC routed Dhangadhi FC 3-0 to make a winning start in the Nepal Super League on Sunday.

Dhangadhi threatened Biratnagar early on at the Dasharath Stadium when Bishal Rai pounced on a miss pass from Hem Tamang to set up Oladipo Olwale Afeez in the penalty area but Dhimal quickly intervened to avert the danger.

Three minutes later Afeez beautifully set up Darshan Gurung at the edge of the area following a solid build-up but the forward was outpaced by Biratnagar defenders.

But it was Biratnagar who went in front in the 16th when Dhimal took advantage of the confusion in the Dhangadhi box in an empty stadium.

Saroj Dahal curled a short corner from Sunil Bal inside the area which Dhangadhi's Nigerian forward Afeez tried to clear but it ricocheted off Dhimal toward the open space in front of the goal creating all the problem. Unmarked Pujan Uperkoti, then, stopped the bounce and put it neatly in the path of Dhimal who slotted through the legs of goalie Kiran Kumar Limbu leaving Dhangadhi clueless.

At the other end, Dhangadhi constantly created opportunities and almost levelled in the 21st when Gurung volleyed a cross from Nisan Khadka but was stopped by Biratnagar goalkeeper Kishor Giri.

Giri also made a diving save of a powerful 25-yard free kick from Khadka at the near post in the 20th.

A minute later, Khadka, who made his debut in the national team against Bangladesh in the Three-Nations Cup, crossed inside the Biratnagar box but Tanka Basnet fired wide.

Towards the end of the first half, Biratnagar terrorised the Dhangadhi box through a beautifully placed free kick from Sunil Bal but the national captain dived to punch away the ball before taking it under control.

Biratnagar thought they had doubled their advantage minutes after the break but their Spanish striker Pedro Javier Manzi Curz's goal was disallowed for an offside.

Their Nigerian striker Oluwawunmi extended the lead in the 57th beating custodian Limbu in a one vs one situation for a cool finish after he was set up by Nir Kumar Rai.

Dhangadhi almost pulled one back at the half-hour mark. Defender Ernest Tampi sent a long ball inside the area which Afeez seized from the defenders’ grasp and took past goalkeeper Giri but finally ended up side netting from the tight angle.

But Biratnagar's Tamang put the game to bed in the 69th by arrowing a right-footed shot on the roof of the net from inside the box after he was set up by Tamang.

In the other match of the day, Butwal Lumbini FC defeated Pokhara Thunders 2-0 to start their league campaign with a win.