Nepal Police Club on Thursday set the title clash of the Birat Gold Cup football tournament with Jhapa XI after a 1-0 win over hosts Morang FC.

Defender Suman Subedi was an unlikely hero as he scored in the last minute of the game. Jhapa made it to the final on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club. Subedi capitalised on a Heman Gurung corner to give the departmental team the victory. The final is on Saturday.

Morang played the entire second half with a man down as the temperamental Bishnu Sunwar was sent off in the first half injury time. Despite have numerical advantage the departmental team required a last gasp goal to seal victory.

NPC coach Ananta Thapa accepted that his side was extremely luck to secure the victory.” They failed to convert several scoring chances but we were able to make the only notable chance count by scoring the goal,” said Thapa.

Morang coach Sanjeev Budhathoki lamented on the miss opportunities. “We were ourselves to blame for the defeat as we wasted handful of goal scoring chances,” said Budhathoki.

Organisers offer cash for national team

Birat Gold Cup Trust on Thursday presented Rs 7,34,000 for the national team in recognition for their recent achievements.

The men’s football team won back to back international trophies in last two months to end Nepal’s 23-year wait for international silverware. Nepal clinched the Bangabandhu Gold Cup on January 22 in Dhaka before clinching South Asian Games gold medals on February 15 in Guwahati, India. The achievements came 23 years after winning the last title at the 1993 SA Games football gold in Dhaka.

The Trust president Rajendra Raut handed over the cheque to All Nepal Football Association general secretary Dhirendra Pradhan. Of the total amount, the Trust contributed Rs 2,00,000 and the rest was raised by public donation.