Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) got off to a flying start in the 18th International Invitational Budha Subba Gold Cup with a crushing 8-0 victory over CFC Club of Bhutan here at the Anfa Technical Centre.

The win put MMC into the semi-finals of the eight-team knock out tournament. MMC will next play the winners of the match between Kaski XI and Nepal Armed Police Force Club. Skipper Anil Gurung and foreign recruit Oladipo Olawale Afeez completed a hat-trick in MMC’s convincing victory. Tej Tamang and Bishal Rai added one apiece.

Gurung opened the scoring in the 23rd minute in a pin-point cross from Moussa and doubled up the tally seven minutes later in an assistance from Afeez. Tej Tamang made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute before Afeez struck in the 44th as MMC headed into the first half with a firm 4-0 cushion.

Gurung struck against, 14 minutes after the resumption through a penalty. Afeez then killed the game slamming home his second and third in the 73rd and 83rd minutes. Rai joined the scoring spree converting in the 79th.

CFC, the National League team of Bhutan, were out of sorts and had only managed to take the ball close to MMC post twice in the game. MMC could have gone to double digits in their scoring but they missed at least six more goal scoring chances. MMC coach Tshering Lhopsang Gurung was surprised by his team’s crushing win. 

“We were expecting to score fluently but we didn’t expect the win margin was going to be this big. The Bhutanese team was weaker than we had expected,” said Gurung. CFC coach Bimal Mukhiya said injuries to his three key players cost them the match. 

“Our boys were nervous after conceding the first goal and they gradually lost the grip in the game. We are playing continuous matches and that did not help today,” said Mukhiya.