DAMAK, May 5: Nepal Police won the Mechinagar Gold Cup defeating another departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club 4-3 in the sudden death in Damak on Saturday.
Police won the title after Man Bahadur Pariyar’s deciding penalty kick hit Army keeper Bikesh Kuthu and netted in the sudden death.
With the title win, Army has taken home a cash prize of Rs 1 million, while Army was rewarded with Rs 501,000. Police took revenge of the football tournament under the Eighth National Games where it had lost to Army in the final. Army had also defeated Police in the semifinals of the third edition of this tournament.
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The game went into tie-breaker after both the teams failed to score a goal in the regulated 90 minutes. The tie-breaker finished with the teams scoring three goals each, and the match moved to the Sudden Death.
In the Sudden Death, Army’s Bikash Tamang’s shot went over the bar. Pariyar, for Police, hit the deciding kick and it surprisingly went in.
In the tie-breaker, Suman Lama, captain Bharat Shah and Rejin Subba scored for Police, while shots of Ajit Bhandari and Aashish Gurung were saved by Kuthu. For Army, Nawayug Shrestha’s shot went over the bar, while George Prince Karki’s effort was saved by Police keeper Roshan Khadka. Deep Kumar Lama, Tek Bahadur Budathoki and Santosh Tamang scored.
Police’s keeper Khadka was adjudged man of the match and rewarded with Rs 11,000.
Kakarbhitta Football Training Center’s Angel Gurung, Police’s Shatrudhan Chaudhary, Aashish Gurung, Army’s Sesehang Angdembe, Nawayug Shrestha and Police’s Ananta Thapa were named the rising player, the best goalkeeper, the best defender, the best midfielder, the best forward and the best coach of the tournament respectively. They all got a cash prize of Rs 21,000 each.
Also, Police’s Rabi Paswan, who was named the best player of the tournament, bagged Rs 101,000.
The host Kakarbhitta, Police, Army, Sankata Club, Chyasal Youth Club, Sunsari XI, My Valley Club of Ilam, Paro FC of Bhutan, Cameroon’s Dauphins
Club and Three Star Club participated in the tournament that started from April 25.
