Nepal Police Club (NPC) edged Sankata Club 5-4 on penalties to set the Khaptad Gold Cup football tournament title date with Three Star Club on Thursday. 

The match at the Dhangadi Stadium was decided through spot kicks after the 90-mintue of regulation play finished in a goalless stalemate. In the tiebreaker, NPC substitute goalkeeper Roshan Khadka saved Suvash Gurung’s fifth shot from the spot while departmental team converted all five penalties to seal the victory. NPC confirmed at least Rs 1 million after securing place in the final. The champions will receive Rs 2.1 million. 

NPC were the first to make the move as Tirtha Rana headed just wide from a perfect Avishek Rijal cross. Sankata, runners-up of the recently concluded Martyrs Memorial ‘A’ Division League, squandered a golden scoring chance in the 27th minute. Their Cameroonian star Ellon Maxwell latched on to a Suvash Gurung pass and with just goalkeeper Satrudhan Chaudhary to beat, the forward shot off target. 

Both the sides failed to create remarkable scoring opportunities after the break. Sanakta however wasted a chance in the 80th minute when Suvash Gurung fired off the target with goal at his mercy. At the other end Sankata custodian Raja Babu Thapa had no trouble getting hold of a Nir Kumar Rai attempt in the 85th minute.

NPC substituted Chaudhary in the stoppage time replacing the goalkeeper with Roshan Khadka. The move paid off as Khadka made a crucial save to secure his team’s place in the final. Avishek Rijal, Ajit Bhandari, Hari Kathayat, Tirtha Rana and Bikram Dhimal all converted from the spot for NPC. 

Amit Tamang, Laxman Ruchal, Ellon Maxwell and Saroj Dahal converted the first four spot kicks for Sankata before Khadka denied Suvash Gurung. Khadka was adjudged man-of-the-match and received Rs 10,000 for his feat.