Ranjan Bista came off the bench to strike a late winner as Nepal APF Club pipped Three Star Club 1-0 to enter the semi-finals of the Anfa Cup Football Tournament
Ranjan Bista came off the bench to strike a late winner as Nepal APF Club pipped Three Star Club 1-0 to enter the semi-finals of the Anfa Cup Football Tournament at the Dashrath Stadium on Wednesday.
Bista, a 67th-minute substitute, struck the decider in the second of the three-minute of added on time in the second half to send Three Star packing from the first match of their new season.
Just as the match was heading towards extra time, Bista’s 25-yard strike found the back of the nets. The tournament has witnessed upset in the second consecutive day with minnows Jhapa XI stunning ‘A’ Division League champions Manang Marshyangdi Club 2-1 in the tournament opener on Tuesday. The two shock winners will now battle it out for the place in the final.
Three Star, playing under new coach Raju Kaji Shakya, created several scoring opportunities only for their misfiring strikers to waste on all the occasions.
Three Star’s first real chance of the game came just after the second half but Jagjeet Shrestha, who failed to create any notable move, shot too high after he dodged Ramesh Dangol and Rajendra Rawal outside the area. Asim Jung Karki shot wide from the area to miss out on scoring a one-touch pass from Sushil KC in the 21st minute.
KC himself had come inches close to scoring for Three Star, playing well to beat APF goalie Amrit Chaudhary but Dangol made the clearance from the goalmouth in the 80th minute. Amar Dangol missed another glorious opportunity when he lost his ground despite being one-on-one with Chaudhary in the dying moments of the game.
APF too squandered a few scoring chances. Rajendra Rawal’s 23 yard strike flew over the bar after he was fed by Top Bahadur Bista in an unmarked position.
Elated by the result, APF coach Krishna Thapa hailed his boys. “Despite squandering a couple of chances, my boys were able to keep their cool. They kept on fighting with the same spirit throughout the game. We were lucky enough not to have conceded a goal because Three Star played a better game,” Thapa added.
Three Star skipper Sandeep Rai rued on the missed chances. “We had our chances but we couldn’t capitalise them,” the skipper said. Nepal Police Club take on fellow departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club on Thursday.
24.61°C Kathmandu
