Sports
Budha Subba Gold Cup: NPC pip Sankata for trophy
Nepal Police Club (NPC) pipped Sankata Club 6-5 in sudden death penalty shoot out to claim the International Invitational Budha Subba Gold Cup football tournament here on Saturday.Pradeep Menyangbo
Nepal Police Club (NPC) pipped Sankata Club 6-5 in sudden death penalty shoot out to claim the International Invitational Budha Subba Gold Cup football tournament here on Saturday.
In an evenly-poised final at the Anfa Technical Centre, both sides were locked 1-1 in the 90-minute regulation time after an 80th minute equaliser from Jumanu Rai. Suraj Ghimire scored for NPC in the sudden death to hand NPC their fifth title of the tournament and a cash purse of Rs 500,000. Runners-up Sankata got Rs 250,000.
In the tie breaker, Tej Tamang, Jumanu and Abhishek Rijal converted, while Sankata goalkeeper Binaya Shrestha had saved the shots from Ajit Bhandari and Buddha Lama. Anil Gurung, Sushil KC and Amit Tamang were on target for Sankata with NPC goalie Roshan Khadka denying Ajayi Martins Kayode and Raj Poudel. Earlier, Raj Poudel had given Sankata a 27th minute lead scoring on a cross from Sajin Thapa as they headed into the second half with a one-goal cushion. NPC, however, leveled the game through Jumanu’s penalty, the former national team striker converted from the spot after Sankata’s Anil Gurung fouled Buddha Lama inside the area.
Sankata custodian Binay Shrestha won the player of the tournament to ride a motorcycle, while Rejin Subba of Dharan ‘Blue’ was named the emerging player. He got Rs 10,000. Jumanu collected his first individual award in domestic football after a long time after he was declared the best striker.
Hemant Gurung (mid-fielder) of Dharan, Bikram Dhimal (defender) and Roshan Khadka (goalkeeper) of NPC were other individual award winners. They got Rs 15,000 apiece. Jumanu and Gurung of Sankata were collectively rewarded the higher scorer’s and got Rs 12,000 apiece.