Army stuns Three Star to lift 23rd Aaha! Rara Pokhara Gold Cup

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 4: Playing in the finals of the Aaha! Rara Pokhara Gold Cup for the fifth time, Tribhuwan Army Club has finally won the trophy for the first time in the 23rd edition. Army defeated Three Star Club 3-0 in the finals of the 23rd Aaha! Rara Pokhara Gold Cup at Pokhara Rangasala on Saturday.

Leading 1-0 in the first half, Army added two more goals before the final whistle to make it 3-0 and defeat five-time champion Three Star. It was the seventh final for Three Star in the tournament. Gillespye Jung Karki, who was captaining the side, gave the lead to Army in the 38th minute as he scored a header on a cross from a corner kick. 

Three Star’s combination failed several times in the first half disallowing the team to either equalise or lead against Army. While Three Star could not score a single goal despite creating chances in the second-half, Army converted two more.

Phatteman Ghale extended the lead for Army in the 83rd minute and increased the pressure on Three Star further. As the game was about to conclude with the six-minute added time coming to an end, Basant Jimba made it 3 for Army.

Jimba scored a solo goal to snatch the game from Three Star completely in 90+4 minutes. Dribbling past Three Star defenders from outside the box, Jimba took the ball past the goalkeeper and ensured it went past the goal line. 

Army’s coach Meghraj KC won the Aaha! Rara Pokhara Gold Cup’s title for the third time after helping Army with its first. Interestingly, in 2075 B.S., KC coached Three Star and won the trophy defeating Army in the finals. He was declared as the best coach in the tournament. 

Gillespye, who was the player of the match in the finals, was also honoured as the best forward throughout the campaign while Army’s Samit Shrestha was the best goalkeeper. Dinesh Henjan was the highest goal scorer in the tournament with three goals. 

Army started its journey in the 23rd edition defeating Rising Star FC 1-0. Army then qualified for the quarter-finals and defeated Sankata 3-0. Latest A Division league champions Church Boys United was Army’s victim in the semi-final match as the match ended 2-1.

Army’s Bimal Pandey was adjudged the best player of the tournament. Army won a cash prize of Rs. 1,201,000 while Three Star departed with Rs. 601,000.