Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) routed a hapless Lumbini Football Club 5-0 to take another stride towards the title climbing to the top of the Red Bull National League here at the Anfa Complex in Satdobato on Monday.

The win in their penultimate game meant TAC have assured third spot at least even if they go on to lose their final game against Nepal Police Club (NPC) on the second last day of the league on October 16. Three Star are second with 29 and third-placed Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) have 28 points with both teams left to play two matches.

Three Star will play Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club on Tuesday before taking on MMC on the final day. Meanwhile, MMC are up against a depleted NPC side a day later and dropping a point in their respective matches would mean title triumph for TAC provided they win their last game. Lumbini, meanwhile, finished their campaign second from the bottom with eight points from 16 games.

APF are out of title race with 23 points from 14 games and above them are Jhapa who have 24 from 15. Three time ‘A’ Division League champions NPC are seventh in the table with 13 points from 14 games and cannot rise from their current position with Far-western sitting above them with 20 points having completed all their 16 matches.

In the match on Monday, Navayaug Shrestha and Tanka Basnet struck twice after skipper Bharat Khawas played a pivotal role scoring once and setting up for the other. Shrestha toppled Karna Limbu of Jhapa from tournament highest scorer’s list with 13 goals. Limbu has 12 goals with Jhapa left to play one game in their campaign.

Shrestha architected TAC’s fourth minute lead when he found unmarked Khawas inside the area before the striker placed the ball low inside the near post. TAC had numerous goal scoring chances but Lumbini managed to contain them to a one-goal lead by the end of the first half.

Basnet opened the floodgates in the second half scoring in the 63rd minute before Shrestha scored two goals in a space of three minutes. Shrestha struck in the 75th and 78th minutes. Basnet sealed the rout with an 83rd minute strike. TAC coach Meghraj KC lauded his boys for a fine performance in the league so far.

“We have been playing as a team for the last 14 months in different tournaments and our plans have been implemented well on and off the pitch. We have managed to play with consistent pace in the entire game and this is the reason why we have been scoring goals fluently,” said KC after watching his team firing in 19 goals in their last three games.