Koshi Province preserved their unbeaten start in the ANFA Women’s League as they defeated Bagmati Youth Club 2-1 to register their second victory in as many games at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur on Thursday.

Bishnu Maya Bal had given Bagmati the lead in the 26th minute but Samikshya Magar’s goal three minutes later and an own goal from Divya Yasmali Magar fired Koshi to the summit after the first round.

It was the season's first defeat for Bagmati, who had thrashed Sudurpaschim Province 5-1 in the opening round.

Koshi, who thumped Waling Municipality 4-0 in the league opener, looked the better side from the start and contained Bagmati in their own half most of the time.

But it was Bagmati who took the lead against the run of play after Koshi defenders’s failed attempt to clear a corner allowed Bal to cleverly place the ball into the second bar, leaving Koshi goalkeeper Buli Sarkar helpless.

Koshi cut short the mourning period and were level only three minutes later after Bagmati goalie Karun Budhathoki failed to stop a long-ranged effort from Samikshya.

Koshi went 2-1 up after 54 minutes with the help of an own Bagmati goal. Bagmati’s Yamsali’s attempt to block a powerful shot from Koshi’s Pratiksha Rai duped goalkeeper Budhathoki before finding the net.

Asmita Khawas, who scored a hat-trick against Sudurpaschim on Monday, reached closer to finding the equaliser in the 64th minute when Sanu Maya Waiba brilliantly set her up with a long pass just inside the arc of the area but Khawas’s attempt to put a header over the advancing goalie Sarkar lacked enough firepower.

Bagmati pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes but could not find the net.

In the day’s other action, Waling Municipality bounced back from their opening loss to beat Karnali Province 4-0 later in the afternoon.

Jackline Nassali scored a hat-trick and Sukriya Miya added their fourth to give Waling their first three points.

Waling brought three Ugandan players to strengthen their squad and it paid immediate dividends as Nassali gave her side the lead in the 10th minute converting a pass from Miya.

Nassali doubled the lead in the 41st minute. Her Ugandan compatriot Viola Nantongo was the provider. Viola’s perfectly placed freekick beat the offside trap and Nassali launched a volley past the advancing Karnali goalkeeper Lila Joshi.

Nassali then completed her hat-trick—second of the league—in the 73rd minute from close range after good work from Anjali Machamasi.

Miya wrapped up a convincing victory with a tight-angled shot that hit the upright before going in.

Karnali have one point, earned from a 1-1 draw against Chandrapur Municipality on Tuesday.