KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 26
Newly-promoted Satdobato Youth Club stunned Ruslan Three Star Club 1-0 in the Qatar Airways Martyrs Memorial A Division League here at the Dasharath Stadium today.
Sudip Gurung scored the solitary goal of the match as Satdobato maintained their unbeaten run in the league. Satdobato had played a goalless draw against Friends Club in the first round match.
Fed by Martins Kayode Ajayi just outside the danger zone, unmarked Gurung slammed home a powerful shot leaving Three Star goalkeeper Guillame Yves Priso Njanga stranded in the 29th minute. Satdobato came close to doubling the tally six minutes later bur Neeraj Chaudhary shot wide following a pass from Sushil Rai.
Satdobato goalkeeper Abhishek Baral blocked a powerful shot from Three Star’s Ritik Kumar Khadka in the 37th minute, while Neeraj Chaudhary saw his attempt saved by Three Star custodian Priso in the 63rd minute.
Priso saved his side again in the 72nd minute when he blocked Ajayi’s attempt from close range. Neeraj Chaudhary was a unlucky man as he was denied again by Priso two minutes later. Three Star skipper Bikram Lama headed over the bar following a corner from Nishan Khadka in the 82nd minute.
Satdobato coach Meghraj KC lauded his players from a brilliant performance. “I am not praising the players because we won the match. They played really well against a strong side like Three Star,” he said. “We are a new side but the way the players made attacks on goal was commendable,” added the former Three Star coach. “But we need to improve in finishing.”
Three Star coach Urjan Shrestha said his side found it very hard to tackle the pressure from opponents. “We missed services of Hemant Thapa Magar after he suffered from upset stomach and we failed in almost every department. The new team [Satdobato] played really well and the result will affect us a lot in our bid to become champions,” said Shrestha, adding the team was looking to sign a striker to strengthen the attack.
In another match, Sankata Club came from a goal down to beat Friends Club 2-1. Friends skipper Prakash Budhathoki opened the scoring before Sankata hit back in the second half with goals from Niraj Basnet and Fode Fofana.
Budhathoki, who missed the first match due to his engagement, put Friends ahead in the 42nd minute with a perfectly taken strike from the edge of the box. Basnet levelled the scores in the 57th minute when he headed home following a corner from Subash Gurng, while Fofana received a pass from Jordan Junior Owona and beat a couple of defenders before slotting home to seal all three points for Sankata.
Earlier, Sankata missed a chance to take the lead in the 30th minute when Subash Gurung failed to score in one-onone situation with Friends goalkeeper Rahul Ramchandra Yadav after a fine pass from Jay Gurung. Laxman Ruchal saw his long-range effort saved by Yadav in the 45th minute in rebound.
Yadav denied Fofana in the 71st minute, while Sankata goalkeeper Raja Babu Thapa saved an attempt from Friends skipper Budhathoki a minute later. Friends created a chance to level the scores in the 90th minute but Prezen Tamang failed to put the ball into the nets in one-on-one situation with Sankata goalie Thapa.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 27, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.