Udaypur, Kathmandu win

LALITPUR, Nov 6 (PR) - Udaypur, Dang, Sunsari and Kathmandu registered wins on Tuesday in the ongoing 2nd Inter-school National girls’ football tournament held at the ANFA complex football ground.

Udaypur defeated Rupandehi 3-1 in the Group D match while in another contest of the same pool, Kathmandu edged past Banke 3-0.

Udaypur dominated the match right from the start although Madhu Thapa of Rupandehi scored in the fourth minute of the match.

The Rupandehi lead remained as Udaypur girls seemed content just nudging the ball in the opponent field. The match kept on moving at a slow pace and saw no remarkable moves in the first half.

It was only in the second half that match picked up some pace as Champa Tamang scored twice to bring Udaypur back into the match. Shiva Rai of Udaypur also pitched in with a goal to take Udaypur to unassailable position.

Apart from a goal, Rupandehi girls hardly appeared to pose any threat to Udaypur as the ball remained in the Rupandehi half for almost entire duration of the match.

Likewise, Mira Maharjan scored twice for Kathmandu in the first half against Banke while Sunu KC scored in the second half to seal the match in favour of Kathmandu.

In the Group C matches of the day, Sunsari crushed Kanchanpur 6-0 while Dang defeated Bhaktapur 3-1.

Chitramaya Ale scored two goals for Sunsari while Sushma Rai, Anita Rai, Manu Rai and Saraswati Ghimire scored a goal each. Not a single Kanchanpur girl made any attempt at the opponent goal.

Similarly, Mamta Gurung scored all three goals for Dang. Bhaktapur’s lone goal came from Sujita Dhoju.

Eleven Arrows enter semifinals

Post Report

MORANG, Nov 6 – A last gasp effort from Munal Club of Chandragadi, Jhapa went in vain as Eleven Arrows of Duhabi, Sunsari beat them 3-2 Tuesday to advance in the semifinals of the third Samrat Running Cup football tournament.

The first quarterfinal of the tournament kept the spectators entertained right from the kick-off as both teams indulged in good attacking football.

The Sunsari outfit went close to scoring as early as in the 3rd minute with Bhuwan Rai and Surendra Tamang forging a good coordination upfront. Tamang put Rai through with a clear ball inside the penalty box but Munal ‘keeper Ameet Singh prevented Rai from scoring, punching back the ball to the midfield.

Munal surged ahead strongly four minutes after that Eleven Arrows’ raid but they were unfortunate to see Subash Khadka’s thunderous shot bounced back off the post after he was released with a clear ball into the penalty area.

In the 10th minute, Bhuwan Rai finally caught the Munal ‘keeper off guard to put Eleven Arrows into 1-0 lead. It was the outcome of fine Rai-Tamang swift one-two-one combination that ended in Rai loosing his marker and unleashing a powerful low shot into the net.

The goal seemed to have inspired Eleven Arrows as they dominated the play for the next 10 minutes, raiding the opposition territory at least half a dozen times. However, Munal goalie reminded his presence under the bar. On one instance, Rai missed a glorious chance to consolidate the score as his shot on Tamang’s well measured cross went off target.

Munal, desperately looking for the equaliser, kept Eleven Arrows under pressure into the last five minutes of the opening
session initiating as many as three thrustful moves. But they had to leave the field still 1-0 down at the half time as Subash Khadka, Prem Limbu and Bijaya Limbu were all off target.

Eleven Arrows resumed with renewed vigour as they gave evidence of it twice in a space of five minutes. Ismail Rai doubled the score in 20 minutes into the second half with a nice finishing after outwitting three Munal defenders on the run. And five minutes later Sashi Thapa emulated Rai’s effort to put his side at command with a 3-0 lead.

Munal, who tried vehemently without the success, suddenly pushed their rivals to their toes striking double blow in the last five minutes of the match. Subash Khadka struck first Munal goal to make it 3-1 when his powerful pile driver took the Arrows' keeper Ritesh Thapa on its way into the net.

Within a minute, Babulal Hasda added one more to their tally to narrow the gap to 3-2. Hasda could have stretched the match well into the extra session but his header on a left Subash Khadka cross hit the crossbar in the dying moments of the game.

The losing side had a small consolation as Subash Khadka was declared man of the match. The tournament’s second quarterfinal match features the hosts Samrat Sporting Club and Rolling Club of Dhulabari on Wednesday.

Valley Junior win Shubha Shanti Cup

DANG, Nov 6 (PR)- Valley Junior Youth Cricket Team (VYTC) lifted Shubha Shanti Cricket Cup defeating Millenium Club by five wickets in the final match played here Tuesday.

Millenium Club, electing to bat first after winning the toss, put up 156 runs at the expense of nine wickets in the allotted 35 overs.

Ajay Ramdhan and Jolesh Pradhan were the engineers of the innings with 48 and 42 runs respectively. Both were unfortunate to miss out on their half centuries after having batted so well.

Basanta Shrestha was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets to his name. Ashok Rokka and Rajiv Shilpkar took one wicket apiece while rest of the batsmen ran themselves out.

Valley Junior batsmen, requiring about four and half runs an over to overhaul the target, finished the task in 33.4 overs. Raju Bhattarai was the chief scorer as he steered the Valley Junior chase with a compact 59-run innings. Raju Neupane and Netra Jung Singh supported Bhattarai with 29 and 23 runs respectively.

Bhattarai was chosen as man of the match as well as man of the series. Anup Shrestha was awarded the prize for the best bowler while Ajay Ram Pradhan was nominated the best fielder.

Karate team left for Italy

KATHMANDU, Nov 6 (PR) - A 4-member Karate team left the capital for Italy on Tuesday to participate in the Kobudo Grading Seminar and Kick-boxing training scheduled to start from November 7.

The participants in the seminar are Mukti Sangram Bishta, Subodh Pradhan, Deepak Shrestha and Saroj Bhattarai. They were seen off at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) by the officials of National Sports Council (NSC).

Meanwhile, Binod Shanker Palikhe— Member Secretary of the NSC— returned to the capital after representing Nepal in the 15th General Assembly of World Taekwon-do Federation (WTF) in South Korea.

Dr. Kim was elected unopposed as the president of the Federation in the assembly held on October 31. Palikhe, in his trip met with the office bearers of the federation and discussed the possibility of establishing regional headquarters of the WTF in Nepal.

Swiss climbers scale Ama Dablam

KATHMANDU (PR) – Seven members and one high altitude Sherpa of the Swiss mountaineering team successfully climbed the 6,812-meter high Ama Dablam from the south-west ridge, the Ministry of Tourism confirmed in a press release on Tuesday.

According to the release, Richard Bolt, Martin Heer, Andrea Muller and Stark Klous were the first ones to reach the summit on October 23 followed by four others – Markus Good, Andrea Wick and Ang Dawa Sherpa on October 25 while Roland Hasler scaled the mountain on October 27.

The team leader Richard Bolt scaled the mountain twice on October 23 and 25. The ministry also confirmed that two members of another Swiss mountaineering team had scaled the 7,134-meter high Mt Tilicho from south-east face.

Team leader Marcel Kraaz and Elisabeth Roetheli-Landolt of the nine-member Swiss Tilicho Expedition Autumn 2001 climbed the mountain on October 26.

Deepawali Cup cricket starts

RANGELI, Morang (PR) - Deepawali Cup Knockout Cricket Tournament got under way here Tuesday at Gouchar Sports Ground.

The tournament organised by Rangeli Youth Cricket Club features six teams from Morang and six teams from Bihar.

In the tournament’s opening game, Star Cricket Team, Katahari beat Himali Cricket Team Rangeli by six wickets. Himali, sent into bat first, managed 94 runs in 19.2 overs as Jitendra Mandal topscored with 20 runs. Star Cricket Team’s Mukesh Mandal put in a fine bowling exhibition claiming four wickets. He was adjudged man of the match later for that effort.

Chasing a modest 95-run target in 20 overs, Star Cricket Team accumulated the required runs for the loss of four wickets with 31 balls to spare. Subodh Rai and Mukesh Kamat contributed 27 and 22 runs respectively fr the winners.