Malakar’s golden goal steers Ktm Club into last eight

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KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Krishna Malakar of Kathmandu Club scored two goals including a golden goal to defeat Three Star Club 3-2 in one of the closest contests witnessed in the King’s Cup knockout football tournament so far.

Malakar delivered the golden goal for his team 9 minutes into the extra time to seal the victory as both the teams were held at 2-2 in the regulation time. Kathmandu Club, at a point, were trailing 2-1 in the match.

Malakar, taking a firm control over the cross provided by Bal Gopal Shrestha connected a brilliant header to end the 99-minute-long drama in style. The win ushered the Kathmanduites in the quarterfinals for the first time in any tournament after its promotion as a ‘A’ division club.

Both the teams played superb football from the outset and Three Star were the first to be rewarded. Dipendra Poudel scored as early as in the 5th minute of the match to take Three Star 1-0 up. Rajesh Shrestha released a perfect cross inside the 6-yard box where unmarked Poudel headed home the early lead for Three Star Club.

Kathmandu Club levelled the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute through Raj Kumar Ghishing. Ramesh Gyawali lofted the ball inside the 18-yard box from the centre where Ghishing took control over the ball and beat advancing goalkeeper Ramesh Lama to guide it inside the net.

The match was evenly balanced at the half time with both teams on 1-1 draw.

The change of ends saw more aggression in both teams and to their dismay kept hitting the cross bar in their attempts. First, Umesh Lama from the penalty area hit the bar for Three Star Club and as if following him, Ghishing struck the pole in the 72nd minute of the match.

In the 66th minute, once again Three Star took the lead through a brilliant rightfooter shot from Lama from the left.

Eight minutes later Kathmandu Club bounced back into the match restoring the parity at 2-2. Golden boy Krishna Malakar found his first when he played a chip shot on Aita Singh Tamang’s pass that sailed into the net leaving goalkeeper Lama a helpless spectator.

Lama, who is also a reserve goalkeeper in Nepali national side and coming back after a long layoff was just a mediocre copy of himself initially. But had he not been able to save a couple of full-blooded shots in the later part of the match, the match would not have gone to the sudden death period.

Kathmandu Club has borrowed more than half dozen of players from RCT, who participated at the recently concluded Nirajan Memorial tournament and are not in the fray now.

Sunday’s QF: Manang Marsyangdi Club Vs ANFA Academy (2:30 PM)

Giri books ticket to Belgium with win in Pokhara

By Suman Malla

POKHARA, Feb 16: Troop of Army stamped their authority, securing first five places at the Pokhara Marathon 2058 that concluded on Saturday.

Among six army contestants, Khemu Giri crossed the tape, finishing the 42.192-meter mark with the timing of 2:26:42sec.

A total of 152 participants contested at the event jointly organized by Nepal Former Players’ Forum (NFPF) and Nepal amateur Athletics Association (NAAA) in conjunction with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Out of total contestants, only 95 athletes completed the distance as the beaming sun soaked up most of the runners. There were 25 foreign participants who competed in run-for-fun event held as part of promotional campaign to boost the ailing tourism industry in Pokhara.

The runners were greeted by sport-loving local citizens as they passed through various points of this touristic town.

Besides collecting the winner’s cheque for Rs 25,000, Giri also secured his berth to compete at
the 11th World Half Marathon due to take place in Belgium later this year.

"We have announced that the winner will be selected for the World Half Marathon taking place in Belgium in May," said Ravi Rajkarnikar, the general-secretary of NAAA. "And with this win Giri has secured his place for that event."

It was a commendable effort from Giri who was trailing Surendra Maharjan at the half way mark. But he not only narrowed the gap, but picked up pace considerably to overtake Maharjan as they headed on to Amar Singh Chowk. And Giri, improving on his previous best timing by over two minutes to secure the comfortable win.

"I’ve found the track here easier than in Kathmandu," said Giri after his maiden marathon win. The player who registered 1:09:09sec at the selection of the half marathon late last year added: "The timing could have been better but the temperature was climbing as the day broke out."

Rewat Dahal was over two minutes off Giri, coming second at 2:29:11sec while Yam Bahadur Pudasaini, another armyman, came home third clocking the time of 2:34:42sec. They received Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

"This is the first time that I have run a full distance in Nepal," said veteran Pudasaini, who had finished 10th at the Asian Marathon Championship held last year in Singapore.

Nara Bahadur KC finished at fourth with the timing of 2:39:23sec while Anand Man Shrestha clinched fifth place, finishing at 2:43:19sec.

Surendra Maharjan, who apparently looked destined for the win, eventually came home
seventh with the timing of 2:48:17, barely a second ahead of Jaganath Bista.

Raj Lamichhane, 18-year-old runner from Gorkha just missed Rs 10,000 offered for athletes of under-19 players completing the race under two hours 45 minutes. Lamichhane, who finished the race at sixth position, missed the mark by just over one minute as he completed the race at 2:46:32sec.

Chief guest Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyay gave away prizes and certificates to the players on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Upadhyay assured government’s support for the development of sports. "The government would do everything in its capacity to promote sports in the country," he said.

Member-secretary of National Sports Council (NSC) Binod Shankar Palikhe, coordinator of NFPF Ganesh Bhattarai were among those present on the occasion.

Hagan, Bovay come up trumps

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KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Eloisa Hagan and J.J. Bovay emerged as the winners in the third Valentine Golf tournament held at the Royal Nepal Golf Club on Saturday.

The couple, with the score of 33, finished even par thus collecting the winners prize sponsored by Fulbari Resort.

Their nearest rival Deepak Rajbhandari and Mrs Rajbhandari scored 34 while the second runners-up Hari Shrestha and Shastika Shrestha also finished with 34 but lost in the count back. Both the couple, apart from the trophies also received prizes from Hyatt and Soaltee Crowne Plaza respectively.

Third place went to H.K.Singh and Deepti RL. Rana. Meanwhile Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Deep B. Basnet, Mr/Mrs.Krishna Tiwari, Cambell, Ritu Lumba received the prizes for the Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Most Sporty Couple, Best Costume and the Best Putter respectively.

A total of 31 couples participated in the tournament organised to mark the Valentine Day.

Eastern Railways enter final

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BIRGUNJ, Feb 16: Eastern Railways team from Kolkata entered the final of the tenth Amatya Gold Cup football with a 5-4 win in the tie-breakers over Rajmilk Patna on Saturday.

The match had to be decided by the penalty shoot-outs as the match remained in 1-1 deadlock after the regulation as well as added time. This is third win for the Eastern Railways through the penalty shoot-outs: they had sealed the Galaxian Club’s fate in the quarter-finals earlier as well as defeated Friends’ Club in tie-breakers to win the Nirajan Memorial Cup.

Sanjay Podar, the Eastern Railways’ goalie, man of the match for today, showed tremendous timing blocking a shot from Bablu Thapa to lead his team to the last match of the tournament.

Earlier, John Andrew of Rajmilk started the penalty shoot-out with a miss. However, Rajmilk ‘keeper kept their hopes alive punching Kings’ shot away. But that hardly helped as the Kolkatans did not  miss any of the further 4 shots.

Although finishing the match as the losers, Rajmilk were the first ones to go into the lead. It was Sanjay Kar, who netted the first goal of the match for the Patna team 29 minutes into the match.

Rajmilk remained in the lead for another 30 odd minutes, before Kings equalised for the Kolkatans. The Patna players, who were at advantageous position receiving as many as nine corners, had only themselves to blame for not being able to convert them into scores.