Three Star Club see off United Sikkim Club to reach semis

Players in action during quarter-finals of Aaha Rara Gold Cup in Pokhara today. Courtesy: Sudarshan Ranjit

POKHARA: Three Star Club rode on Anil Gurung’s hat-trick to beat visiting United Sikkim Football Club 5-2 to reach last four of the 17th Aaha Rara Gold Cup here at the Pokhara Stadium on Monday.

Gurung opened the scoring after converting a penalty kick in the 27 the minute after Sikkim’s defender Sanjaya Chettri hauled opposition player in the area.

In the second half, Sikkim’s defender Jimmy Bhutia scored an own goal to give TSC two-goal lead before Martinez scored a spectacular goal from a distance in the 70th minute.

Anil Gurung scored his second and team’s fourth goal via a penalty kick in the 81st minute. After five minutes, Gurung completed his hat-trick after Aizaz Martins assisted from the centre of the goal.

Sikkim’s Sonam Bhutia and Ong Tsering scored consolations goals in the dying minutes of the game. Later, TSC skipper Anil Gurung was adjudged man of the match and bagged a cash purse of Rs 5,000.

During the post-match presentation, United Sikkim team head coach Mayal Lepcha said, “We suffered defeat because of our own faults. TSC is a good team and we were under pressure after conceding an early penalty.”

Similarly, winning team’s head coach Megraj KC said, “After scoring two penalty goal and a suicide goal helped us to see off Sikkim though they played well today.”

In the last quarter-finals of the tournament, Nepal Police Club will take on Cameroon’s Dauphins Club at the Pokhara Stadium tomorrow, the organisers said.

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