KATHMANDU, April 3

Armed Police Force (APF) Club defeated Nepal Police Club 2-0 at the Chyasal Stadium in Lalitpur to move up to fifth as the Martyrs Memorial A-Division League resumed after a two-week break.

Hari Karki and Sabin Gurung hit the target in the second half to give APF their third win in six matches. The win also keeps them within striking distance of the top spot, with leaders Satdobato Youth Club, with only two points separating them. But Satdobato have played a game less.

For Police, it was their fifth loss in six matches and they remain deeply rooted in the relegation zone with only one point.

APF kept the Police under pressure from the start and Bike Tamang hit the woodwork after just two minutes.

Armand Beadoum should have put APF in front in the 6th minute when he bulldozed past two Police defenders into the penalty box but goalkeeper Shatrudhan Kumar Chaudhary reacted wisely, preventing the Chad playmaker from shooting before it was too late.

APF almost went ahead in the 37th minute when Bike Tamang took advantage of a mistake by police glovesman Chaudhary who failed to grapple a cross from Sanish Shrestha but the goalie promptly made amends with a quick reflex save.

In between, Police responded with several attacks with Rabi Paswan leading the way but failed to make any clear chances at goal.

Their best moment of the first half came in the 39th minute when Buddhabal Tamang cut back for Rishi Pithakoti Thapa but the midfielder’s low shot from the edge of the area inched away from the post.

At the other end, defender Santosh Hemram made a good clearance to deny Beadoum another chance after the Chad player was set up by Nabin Lama.

APF continued the assault after the restart and Shrestha set up Yubraaj Khadka inside the penalty box but Hemram foiled their chance again with a bold tackle.

Goalie Chaudhary then made a brilliant save to deny Hari Karki’s long-range shot.

But APF finally broke the Police resistance in the resulting corner when Karki slipped his header into the net in the 58th minute giving Chaudhary no chance.

Police then wasted their chance for an equaliser in the 68th minute as Paswan’s chip missed the target by an inch.

Sabin Gurung then put the result beyond doubt in the injury time of the second half drinking an easy goal in a counter attack.

Nkengue shine for Sankata

A lone goal from forward Junior Onguene Nkengue gave Sankata Club 1-0 victory over Khumaltar Youth Club as they registered their second victory in the sixth game of the league campaign.

The Cameroonian forward gave a finishing touch from the six yard box after he found a ball denied by Khumaltar goalie Dev Limbu in one-on-one situation fell to him in the 27th minute.

The second victory of the campaign came as a huge relief to Sankata coach Salyan Khadgi whose side had drawn three and lost one match. They are sixth in the 14-team standings with nine points. Khumaltar are ninth with six points with two wins and four defeats.

The evenly contested affair saw Khumaltar test Sankata goalie Kuldip Karki as early as in the fourth minute. Cameroonian forward Stephane Binong called goalie Kuldip Karki into action with a powerful free-kick and they threatened yet again in the 13th before Messouke Oloumou’s long range strike sailed inches above the bar.

Sankata replied minutes later through Nelson Konfor who fired inches above bar from the area after he collected a cut back pass from compatriot Nkengue, who later scored the decisive goal.

In the second half, Sankata resorted to defensive style of play though they threatened the opponent’s post a couple of times.

“We were busy defending in the second half because we wanted to make sure that we walk away with three points,” said Sankata coach Salyan Khadgi, recalling that they had drawn the previous three matches. “The win will be very much helpful in achieving our title ambition.”

Khulamtar’s assistant coach Mahesh Shrestha rued on the missed chances. “We failed to capitalise on our scoring chances and lost vital points,” said Shrestha, adding that his player looked exhausted in the second half.