Lalitpur City and Pokhara Thunders shared a point each after they played a goalless draw in the Nepal Super League at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

After opening their campaign with victories, both the teams were locked in a tussle for a position in the top of the nine-team standings but it was Lalitpur who controlled the game most of the time, creating several opportunities, even if they were wasteful at goal.

Pokhara threatened early in the game, with Moses Gyabaah Twum rattling the bar in the sixth minute. It was Pokhara’s best move of the first half.

Lalitpur went close to scoring in the 19th minute when Imon Ezekiel beat Pokhara’s Cameroonian goalkeeper Yves Preso, who had deserted the post to clear a long pass from Dinesh Henjan, but the Nigerian could not capitalise on the opportunity.

Ezekiel should have put Lalitpur in front in the 40th minute when Nikhal Kadam, who replaced Kebe, laid a perfect low cross inside the six yard box but Ezekiel could not put his foot in the ball that needed a simple tap in.

Three minutes later, a header by Pokhara’s Twum off a lifted pass from Ayush Ghalan missed the target by inches.

Ezekiel then found another golden opportunity 11 minutes after the restart off a counter attack that was engineered by Kadam but Pokhara’s Dinesh Rajbanshi and Franklin Kuete Talla proved too strong for him.

Kathmandu’s Sanjeeb Bista almost punished Lalitpur for a blunder in the first minute of the second half injury time. Bista intercepted a poor clearance from Lalitpur goalkeeper Jeffery Marcel and quickly charged at the post but Omalaja Nurain Kareem blocked the shot to ward off the danger.

Lalitpur had a final chance to put the game to bed in the dying seconds but Kareem’s ambitious header off a corner from Dinesh Henjan inched away from the post.

Despite the unwanted result, Lalitpur reclaimed their position on the top of the table due to goal difference. They have four points.

Defending champions Kathmandu Rayzrs, who played a 1-1 draw against Chitwan on Tuesday, and Pokhara are also level with Lalitpur on four points but Kathmandu occupy the second spot.

Dhangadhi, on three points, are third but have a match in hand and can move to the top if they beat Butwal Lumbini on Thursday.

Butwal have yet to open their account after surrendering their opening match 2-0 to Lalitpur.