Kathmandu hold table topper Dhangadhi to 1-1 draw

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 19: Defending champions Kathmandu Rayzers FC managed to avoid defeat against the table-toppers Dhangadhi FC with a 1-1 draw at the Nepal Super League on Monday. Kingue Oliver scored a second-half goal to cancel out Ahmed Hijaji's first-half lead for Dhangadhi. 

With both teams sharing a point, Dhangadhi remains the league leader with 12 points while Kathmandu maintains its fourth position on the table with nine points. Pokhara Thunders, in second place with 11 points, can take the top spot with a win over FC Butwal Lumbini on Tuesday. Meanwhile, third-place Lalitpur City FC, which has 10 points, can also topple Dhangadhi with a victory over Sporting Ilam FC in the first match on Tuesday.

Dhangadhi had a chance to take the lead in the fifth minute after Olawale Afeez's shot from inside the box was punched away by Kathmandu Keeper Anjal Shrestha. However, Dhangadhi eventually took the lead in the 15th minute through a goal from their Lebanese striker Ahmed Hijaji.

Andres Nia of Kathmandu headed the long clear ball off Diagne Fallou’s for the back pass to the keeper. Unfortunately, the ball hit the back of Hijaji and took the opportunity for Dhangadhi’s advantage to lob Keeper Anjal for his second goal of the season.

Kathmandu squandered a chance to equalize in the next couple of minutes, with Tojidinov Komiwon hitting the crossbar and Prashant Awasthi's strike to the rebound from the six-yard box going over Dhangadhi's post. 

In the 20th minute, Keeper Tikendra Singh Thapa foiled Kathmandu's marquee Hisub Thapalia's shot. In the 23rd minute, Tojidinov's free-kick was cleared by Dhangadhi Captain Devendra Tamang from the box.

Dhangadhi failed to double their advantage towards the end of the first half as Hijaji's strike was denied by Keeper Anjal. In the second half, Dhangadhi was again denied in the 62nd minute after Fode Fofana's shot was punched away by Keeper Anjal and later cleared by defender Sushil Yadhav. 

Four minutes later, defending champions Kathmandu found the equalizer from defender Kingue Oliver. Kathmandu was rewarded a free kick following a foul from Dhangadhi's Rohan Karki. Tojidinov chipped the ball from the left flank inside the box, and Oliver jumped to nod the ball into the post. 

Oliver's other attempt in the 69th minute was easily saved by Keeper Tikendra, who also saved the free kick in the 72nd minute.