Manang edge Three Star to reach final Manang Marshyangdi beat league champions 1-0 in a fierce battle to set up Army clash

KATHMANDU, JUN 14 -  Bishal Rai came off the bench to score a late goal to take Manang Marshyangdi Club into the Gurkha Cup final with a 1-0 victory over Three Star at the Dashrath stadium on Thursday.

Manang will play Nepal Army in the summit clash on Saturday.

Rai, who was brought on late into the regulation time, justified his coach Amrit Panta’s move by stealing the victory for Manang in the 87th minute. The two heavyweights of Nepali club football showed their intent from the onset with rival players keeping the referee busy with their physical game.

Only two minutes into the match, Three Star’s Sabindra Shrestha was booked for committing a misjudged tackle on Deepak Rai.

As the teams continued to make rough tackles, a total of 11 players from either side were shown a yellow card with as many as three players receiving the marching orders.

Bishnu Sunuwar of Three Star was the first to go for an early shower after he committed a second bookable offence in the 42nd minute.

Teammate Jagjeet Shrestha and Yona Elias of Manang followed Sunuwar to the dressing room after a brawl in the second half added time.

Manang coach Panta said he knew that it was always going to be tough against Three Star. “We did not play well in the first half but we sorted out a few flaws in the second and made the substitution which provided us with the desired result,” he said after the match.

On Manang’s plans for the final match against Army, to who they had lost in the group stage, Panta said: “We have learnt from the mistakes we made in that loss and we will give them a tough fight.”

It was tough on both Manang and Three Star as both sides pressed hard in the first half but failed to translate their chances.

In the 37th minute, Manang skipper Sagar Thapa picked out Anil Gurung with a free-kick inside the opposition box but Three Star custodian Kiran Chemjong blocked Gurung’s header. The ball landed into the path of Shiva Shrestha but he lifted his shot over the bar.

Five minutes later, Three Star were down to 10 men after Sunuwar earned his second yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Sujal Shrestha.

Manang went close to taking their numerical advantage on the stroke of half time but Azeez Saheed went wide with his follow-up shot on Bikram Limbu’s free-kick.

Contrary to the crowd’s expectations of a strong start to the second half from Manang, Three Star looked the better of the two during the early exchanges.

In the 61st minute, Zikahi Leonce Dodoz slipped a clever through ball past defenders to allow Santosh Shahukhala in a one-on-one situation but the latter fired

straight into the hands of Manang goalkeeper Bishal Shrestha

Moments later, Jagjeet took a short corner to pick out Biraj Maharjan who dropped the ball into the Manang area where Saroj Dahal rose above everyone else to head the ball but ‘keeper Shrestha made an easy save. Shrestha came with another crucial save in the 73rd minute to deny Jagjeet’s well directed free-kick.

Even though Three Star appeared more aggressive of the two, Manang eventually came away with the all important winner when Rai, who came on in the 80th minute, found the back of the net.

After a brilliant move from Deepak Rai, Gurung headed the ball towards Yona Elias who in turn set up Bishal Rai and the striker let loose a scorcher into the top right corner of the net.

Labels: Sports