Dhangadhi moved to the top of the Nepal Super League table after Olawale Afeez’s stoppage time strike gave them a 1-0 hard-fought win over Butwal Lumbini at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Thursday.

A perfect start to the tournament also took Dhangadhi two points clear at the top of the nine-team standings with six points from two matches as the last edition’s runners-up look to win their first trophy after falling short against defending champions Kathmandu Rayzrs in the final.

Kathmandu are on their tail with four points after drawing their last game 1-1 with Chitwan. They sit below second-placed Lalitpur City, who also have four points. Pokhara Thunders, also on four points, occupy the third position.

Dhangadhi were clear favourites against a Butwal side that had lost their opener 2-0 to Lalitpur but still lacked the magic charm until Afeez changed that all after coming on as a second half substitute.

Dhangadhi’s Lebanese forward Ahmad Hijazi, whose late strike had given the leaders a 2-1 win over Birgunj United on Sunday, had found a golden opportunity to put his side in front in the 25th minute when Aashish Chaudhary laid a perfect pass for him inside the six yard box, but Hijazi wasted it.

Abhishek Gurung was outstanding in the midfield and the playmaker made a goal line clearance to deny Butwal’s Gilespye Jung Karki’s goal-bound header before racing to the other end to almost finish off the resulting counter attack midway into the first half.

Butwal were an improved side after the restart and terrorised Dhangadhi box on a number of occasions, with Karki first forcing goalkeeper Mohamad Taha in the 52nd minute with a powerful effort.

In the 72nd minute, Ashish Lama dazzled the stadium with his dribbling skills to cut inside the penalty box and sent a flawless low cross inside the six yard box but Stephane Samir Binong and Nirajan Dhami miscalculated the move and failed to put the ball into the empty net.

Afeez, the top scorer of the 2023 Martyrs Memorial A-Division League, had just replaced Gurung and soon made the difference, dangerously coming one-on-one with Butwal goalkeeper Mohamodau but flashed wide.

The momentum suddenly shifted into a fast-paced thriller in the dying seconds, with Butwal’s Chandan Das presenting the first of the last chills with a high-powered strike soon after coming from the bench.

Afeez then missed another golden opportunity to score when Nishan Limbu set him up inside the penalty box but goalkeeper Mohamodau came to the rescue.

At the other end, Butwal midfielder Lama almost beat goalkeeper Taha with a lofted shot.

But Afeez had the final say in the third minute of the stoppage time. Hijazi quickly connected with Afeez with a long through ball inside the area. Goalie Taha responded quickly, advancing to neutralise Afeez but the Nigerian rolled the ball through his legs and into the net.

The outcome means Butwal suffered their second straight loss in as many matches and lie at the bottom of the table without a point.