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| Kathmandu Sunday March 24, 2002 Chaitra 11, 2058. |
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MPC maul Kathmandu Club
By Himesh Bajracharya
KAKARVITTA, March 23: Star-studded Mahendra
Police Club (MPC) inched closer to five-tournament wins in the season defeating Kathmandu
Club 3-1 in the semifinal of the Mayor Cup Football tournament on Saturday.
The in-form Police team will have to beat
Avenues Samelani, Kolkata in the title clash on Monday to achieve the landmark.
Kathmandu Club did well to hold the police
attacks but some blunders committed by rookie goalie Sanjiv Shahi put paid to Kathmandu
Club’s hope. Kathmandu lost 3-0 against MPC in the semifinal of recently concluded
King’s Cup tournament at capital last month.
"Our boys played very well against a better
team but some inexperience under the bar cost us dear," said Kathmandu Club’s
coach Shiva Khadka.
Two goals within first 15 minutes demoralised
Kathmandu Club, who are yet to win any semifinals in their 10-year’s history.
Midfielder Kishore Subba lobbed a ball from outside the 18-yard box as Shahi failed to
judge the high ball, which landed inside the net as early as in the 7th minute of the
match.
The Police outfit doubled the lead in the 15th
minute when Jhapa-born striker Hari Khadka, using the local condition very well, slotted a
freekick inches out side the 18-yard area. Shahi again failed to read Khadka’s shot
to go 2-0 down.
Ananta Thapa of MPC added one more in the second
half, when he unleashed a powerful shot after Shahi failed to gather a shot clearly.
"They played very well but we played better
than them," MPC captain Anil Adhikari praised his opponent. "The guys are new
and have yet to learn some basics of football," he added.
Prahlad BC of Kathmandu Club scored the
consolation goal for them when Raju Katuwal handed the ball inside their penalty area
forcing referee Madhusudan Khanal to point at the spot in the 63rd minute.
Both the sides played a defensive football as
most of the time the ball remained at the centre. Earlier, Khadka and Thapa miscued a
couple near goal chances while Kathmandu Club Rajkumar Ghising’s most convincing shot
landed inches wide of the cross bar. |
