Birgunj United snapped their losing run in the Nepal Super League after a second-half goal from substitute Kripa Kant Tharu earned them a 2-2 draw against leaders Lalitpur City in a highly charged match at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Birgunj were low on morale after losing their opening two matches against Dhangadhi and Chitwan with the scoreline of 2-1 but they showed a dogged display against second-placed Lalitpur, who were looking to end their two-match winless run and leapfrog leaders Dhangadhi at the summit.

Lalitpur appeared to control the game in the start and were almost gifted the lead in the 5th minute when Birgunj’s Aikins Kyei Baffour’s attempt to keep away Omolaja Nurain Kareem’s freekick almost went into his own post. In the resulting corner, captain Ananta Tamang forced Birgunj goalkeeper Deep Karki into a save with a powerful header.

But Birgunj took the surprise lead against the run of play when their Ghanaian forward William Opoku Asiedu slammed the back of the net with a swiftly-taken low shot from near the arc of the area, pouncing on a poor clearance from Tamang.

Lalitpur levelled the game after four minutes. Nigerian Imon Ezekiel raced to meet a well-timed through pass from Sesehang Angdembe that cut the Birgunj defence wide open and skilfully slalomed past a desperate goalkeeper Karki before placing the ball into the net.

Australian coach Ian Andrew Gillan’s side intensified their attack looking for more goals and Nikhil Sureshrao Kadam put Lalitpur 2-1 up in the 28th minute thanks to a poor defending from Djadje Tshamala Gustavo as the Indian midfielder took advantage of a loose possession from the Congo defender before firing past Karki into the near post from outside the box.

Angdembe should have furthered Lalitpur’s lead in the final minutes of the first half when Dinesh Henjan set him up with a neat pass inside the penalty area but Angdembe failed to capitalise on the chance.

Karki then made a brilliant diving save to ward off a sublime cross from Kadam in the injury time.

Sanoj Shrestha sent in Jaya Gurung and Tharu after the restart and it soon paid dividends.

Birgunj were more lethal in front of the goal and equalised in the 52nd minute through their supersub Tharu, who tapped in a rebound after Opoku Asiedu’s sumptuous free kick ricocheted off the post.

Gurung then terrorised the Lalitpur box near the hour mark with a solid effort that hit the outside of the upright before returning back to goalkeeper Jeffery Willy Marcel, who was initially unaware of the rebound.

Lalitpur continued to look for a winner but were not as impressive as in the first half, with Tamang making the last ditch effort in the 7th minute of the stoppage time with a splendid long-ranged freekick that was gallantly denied by Karki with a diving effort.

The third straight draw keeps Lalitpur in the second position, one point off leaders Dhangadhi.

Birgunj earned their first point of the season and stayed rock bottom in the nine-team standings.

Third-placed Pokhara Thunders, on five points, play Sporting Ilam on Wednesday.