Dharan FC goalkeeper Binay Shrestha holds the man-of-the-match award after beating CMG Club Sankata in the 21st Budha Subba Red Bull Gold Cup match in Sunsari on Thursday. Photo: THT
Sunsari, February 14
Dharan Football Club defeated CMG Club Sankata 4-3 on penalties to advance to the final of the 21st Budha Subba Red Bull Gold Cup here at the Dharan Stadium today.
Goalkeeper Binay Shrestha saved to spot kicks in tie-breaker as the home side made it to the final for the first time in 12 years. Dharan FC had finished as runners-up in the second and fourth editions.
The match was decided in penalty shootout after both the teams failed to score in the regulation period. Dharan custodian Shrestha saved the kicks from Cedric Aba and Saroj Dahal to send his team to the final. Bartaman Rai, Milan Rai, Yogesh Rai and Dorje Tamang scored for the home side, while Sankata goalkeeper Raja Babu Thapa denied Hemant Thapa. For Sankata, Amit Tamang, Dipesh Ale Magar and Laxman Ruchal converted from the spot.
Earlier, Sankata wasted a couple of scoring opportunities. Dharan custodian Shrestha denied Laxman Ruchal in the 39th minute, while he stood firm to save Roshan Pahari’s attempt in the first half injury time. Shrestha also saved his team from going down twice in the second half.
He saved Roman Limbu’s header in the fifth minute after resumption, while Shrestha punched out Cedric Aba’s shot in the stroke of hour.
Sankata team official Junu Kaji Dangol rued the missed chances and said the team missed the services of Ellon Maxwell.
“The game went as per the plan but the forward line failed to utilise the chances and the absence of injured Maxwell cost us dear,” he added.
The home side also missed a couple of chances. Sankata goalkeeper Raja Babu Thapa saved Bitu Tamang’s shot following a pass from Hemant Thapa Magar in the fifth minute, while Sujan Sharma muffed up a chance from the six-yard box.
Bartaman Rai failed to score in one-on-one situation with Sankata glovesman Thapa in the 29th minute, while Bartaman Rai could not score from close following a flick header from Bitu Tamang a minute later. Hemant Thapa Magar missed another chance three minutes after the break.
Dharan FC coach Sagar Ghimire said the team was successful in the strategy of not conceding goal in regulation period and push the match to tie-breaker. “We also created a number of chances but the boys failed to utilise them. I am happy with the overall performance of the team and we knew our chances of winning were high in penalty shootout,” he added.
On Friday, last year’s runners-up Nepal Police Club will play against Dauphins Family Club of Cameroon in the second semi-final match.
The post Dharan stun Sankata, enter final appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Written by Sandeep
This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/dharan-stun-sankata-enter-final/ under the title “Dharan stun Sankata, enter final”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
