Hosts Makwanpur XI stunned top-tier outfits Nepal Police Club (NPC) 1-0 to enter the final of the Makwanpur Gold Cup football tournament on Wednesday.

Former NPC player Rejin Subba struck the only goal of the match in the 78th minute to send the departmental team packing. Subba flicked in Danu Thapa’s pass to beat an advancing Police goalkeeper Satrudhan Chaudhary. Subba was declared man-of-the-match and received Rs 10,000.

 Makwanpur will take on the winners of second semi-final match between Three Star Club and Dauphins Family of Cameroon on Saturday. Skipper and custodian Ashok Thapa made almost half a dozen of heroic saves to deny NPC. Thapa blocked Rabi Paswan’s powerful shot in the 12th minute before making a goalline clearance to prevent Suman Lama’s strike in a rebound.

Makwanpur came up with even better performance in the second half. They brought NPC goalkeeper Chaudhary into action in the 63rd after foreign recruit Kazim applied powerful strike from the area. In the 74th minute, Chaudhary made a spectacular save to deny a Manoj Bista freekick. Bikram Dhimal wasted a chance to equalise in the 92nd minute for NPC.

Makwanpur coach Bijay Lal Shrestha said the victory was the result of hard work put in by his players. NPC coach Ananta Raj Thapa said he was happy with the team’s performance despite the defeat. “We were without some of our key players for the match. Poor finishing cost us the match,” said Thapa.

Sankata pip JYC 1-0

Nagendra Adhikari (Kavre) 

Sankata Club beat Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) 1-0 to enter the final of the Kavre Gold Cup football tournament at the Dhulikhel ground on Wednesday. Sankata were awarded the penalty on the stoke of 30 minutes after JYC’s foreign recruit Adama Doumbia handled ball inside the area. Winger Laxman Ruchal converted from spot. After the referee’s decision to award penalty, Doumbia used offensive word to the match referee which resulted in his sending off. The match turned tense following the red card and the play was stopped for 15 minutes.

Sankata will meet the winners of the second semi-final match between Nepal APF Club and Kavre District Football Association on Thursday. The winners will get Rs 400,000 and the runners-up will get Rs 200,000.