Two of three departmental football clubs—Nepal Police FC and Tribhuvan Army FC—were in action at the National League on Tuesday. Both of them were restricted to a draw, that too by young clubs, in their respective matches.

Nepal Police and Tribhuvan Army have a richer legacy compared to the Armed Police Force (APF) FC. The two clubs have been active in Nepali football for over seven decades, while APF’s football club came into existence only two decades ago.

Nepal Police are also four-time A-Division champions, while Tribhuvan Army have finished as the runner-up four times. And to trouble such a team is always a moment of pride for an emerging club. And that was exactly what happened at the ANFA Complex on Tuesday.

“To earn a point against a club with a big legacy like Army was a joyous moment for us,” said Sanjeet Singh, head coach of Planning Boyz United.

Planning Boyz, a club established in 2012 representing Pepsicola area, entered the A Division for the first time after winning the Martyr’s Memorial ‘B’ Division League in May last year. Planning Boyz are in the National League after the All Nepal Football Association expanded the number of participants to compensate for the inability to conduct the top-tier league.

Despite not having their star striker Fagu Ram Tharu, the top scorer in the B Division last year, in the squad due to an injury, Planning Boyz have had a good start to the National League.

Before the match against Army, Planning Boyz had defeated Nepal Police 1-0 in what was their respective first match of the tournament on January 17.

“We are definitely missing Tharu,” Singh told the Post. “Tharu sustained an injury before the National League commenced and has been told to rest by the physio. He will be back once he recovers.”

While Tharu’s presence would have given Planning Boyz an advantage, the team still played well against Army, which had come to their second match of the tournament after crushing Manang Marsyangdi Club 5-0 on January 17.

“We had planned to register consecutive wins today, but we failed despite having more possession than Planning,” Bal Gopal Maharjan, head coach of Tribhuvan Army, said in the post-match conference. “I noticed the need to improve in the middle third and attacking third.”

When asked about the reason behind a departmental club, which trains throughout the year, struggling against a young club, Maharjan cited the trend of established players leaving abroad. “Of late, there are not sufficient experienced players in the country to select from. Army also does not prefer having foreign players,” he added.

“We could see how much of an impact Alex Willane had today,” said Maharjan. “With private clubs spending on quality foreign players, Army should think of effective plans to counter them.”

Maharjan also stressed that departmental clubs need to be flexible in a lot of things at a time when Nepali domestic football is trying to be more professional.

“I can only speak for Army,” he said. “Departmental clubs have restrictions and limitations as they are a governmental body. But in football, they need to think out of the box to remain competitive and keep up their legacy.”

Meanwhile, though Army do not have overseas players, they are filled with star players like Jillespye Jung Karki and his brother George Prince Karki, Nawayug Shrestha, Bikesh Kuthu and Kushal Deuba.

Nonetheless, the lack of foreign players also saw Nepal Police face a tough time on the field against Chitlang FC, one of the four clubs from outside the Valley that progressed to the National League from the ANFA President League.

After a 0-1 loss to Planning Boyz last time, Nepal Police managed a 1-1 draw with Chitlang in the first match of Monday at the ANFA Complex. Further, Nepal Police could manage a point thanks to an own goal by Chitlang’s Lachhuman Rana Magar in the 87th minute.

Mathew Babatunde Olanrewaju had given Chitlang the lead in the 41st minute. After that, Chitlang, who had two more foreign players— Solomon Adeyinka Ilesanmi and Mutiu Ope Adegoke—on the field, kept the pressure until they gave away two points with an own goal. Babatunde is the only player until Tuesday to score in consecutive matches.

While the draw gave Nepal Police their first point of the tournament, Chitlang’s point reached four. Chitlang had defeated their ANFA President League companion Nawa Jana Jagriti Yuwa Club 2-1 on January 17.

Moreover, consecutive wins for Laligurans Association, the champion of the ANFA President League, in the last two matches of the National League have also shown the chances of an underdog club registering a major upset in the tournament.

There is a rest day in the National League on Wednesday. When it returns on Thursday, APF will face Church Boys United in the first match of the day at Chyasal Stadium. It will be followed by Friends’ Club Kopundole vs Sankata FC at Chyasal Stadium and Kankrebihar Club vs New Road Team (NRT) at the ANFA Complex.