Chyasal Youth Club became the first team to be relegated from the Martyrs Memorial 'A' Division League after they lost their penultimate match 2-1 against another relegation strugglers Friends Club at the Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar on Saturday.

With only one win and three draws after 12 matches, Chyasal are at the bottom of the table having scored only six points. Bottom two teams at the end of the league will be demoted to the second division.

Trinidadian Forward Jamoul Francois scored both the goals in the first half for Friends, who also took a giant stride in their bid to avoid relegation. Moussa Abagana hit a consolation goal for Chyasal in the second half.

Friends are 12th with 10 points, three points clear of relegation zone with still a match in hand. They are scheduled to vie against Himalayan Sherpa Club in their last round action.

"I would like to apologise to the fans," said Chyasal's technical director Leigh Manson, who was assigned the role as head coach for the last three matches. Summing up the whole season, the Scottish said, "Overall we played very bad. Though we had the opportunities, we failed to score. Just five goals in the league…that’s not enough."

Chyasal, founded in 1981, were promoted to 'A' division as the 2016 'B' Division League champions and made their maiden appearance in the top tier football in the 2018-19 season. They finished eighth among 14 teams in their first ever campaign in the top division. The following season they finished ninth.

The 2020-21 season could not take place owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The last three games were not good enough. Not just those three matches but we could not do enough the whole season. I feel sorry for the club board. As coaching and playing staff, we have let them down and it is really disappointing," said Manson, adding that it was also his first relegation as a coach.

Friends opened scoring in the 38th minute after Trinidadian Nathaniel Jude Garcia headed Ronell Anthony Paul's long pass to set it up for Francois. The forward beat defender Avishek Limbu and scored into an open net after advancing goalie Pradip Bhandari deserted his post.

Francois doubled the lead five minutes later through penalty, taking his scoring tally to the highest seven goals in the league. Friends were awarded the penalty after Avishek Limbu fouled Franocis.

Cameroonian Moussa Abagana pulled one back in the 56th from the spot. They were awarded the spotkick after Friends' Indian goalie Rahul Ramchandra Yadav fouled Rajiv Lopchan inside the area.

-Machhindra maintain unbeaten streak-

In the late fixture, league champions Machhindra Club overcame Three Star Club 1-0 to maintain their unbeaten record after a late drama.

Machhindra captain Sujal Shrestha converted a spot kick five minutes into the second-half injury time after Three Star defender Jeevan Gurung brought down Abhishek Gurung in the penalty area.

Four minutes after coming on as an 89th minute substitute to forward Ayush Ghalan, Jeevan desperately slid to tackle Abhishek, who was trying to cut inside from the right. Instead the defender ended up knocking down Abhishek and match referee Prakash Nath Shrestha pointed at the spot without hesitation.

To add to Three Star’s wounds, the referee showed Jeevan straight red, followed by a yellow, after the unsatisfied defender angrily confronted the referee.

Shrestha stepped forward and sent Cameroonian goalie Guillaime Njanga in the opposite direction to score his first goal this season.

The defeat was a huge blow to Three Star’s ambition of climbing to second in the standings as the league nears its closing stages. They have 18 points after 12 matches, one behind third-placed Tribhuvan Army FC and two behind second-placed Manang Marshyangdi Club.

Machhindra successfully defended their league crown on Wednesday with two matches in hand to win their only second title. Machhindra have 32 points.

Machhindra have also kept a clean sheet in 11 consecutive games. They conceded the only goal in a 2-1 win over New Road Team in their league opener.

Today’s Fixtures

Jawalakhel vs Sherpa

Time: 13:00 NST

Manang Vs NRT

Time: 16:45

Venue: Dasharath Stadium