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Kathmandu Sunday February 17, 2002 Falgun 05, 2058.
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Malakar’s golden goal
steers Ktm Club into last eight
Post Report
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)
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