Unbeaten APF at top in half- way stage of Final Round

Kathmandu, Jan. 12:The Armed Police Force (APF) Club, the defending champions, managed a safe spot at the top of the points table in the Final Round of the ANFA Women’s League 2024 defeating Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) in the departmental derby on Saturday. 

The ANFA Complex Ground in Satdobato, Lalitpur, saw a tough game between the two departmental teams; however, APF emerged victorious in the end. Of the 20 games between five teams in the Final Round played in a double round-robin format, the APF vs TAC fixture of January 11 was the 10th one.

APF defeated TAC by a score of 3-1 with all four goals scored in the second half. The first half saw Army pressing the play against APF until the first nine minutes. 

Both APF and Army had their second goalies start the derby. APF’s Sabitri Kisan made a crucial save in the 8th minute in a 1v1 situation with Army’s Chandra Bhandari. “It was a crucial save by Sabitri. It would have been difficult for us if Army took an early lead,” APF’s head coach Jibesh Kumar Pandey said.

However, a minute later, Sabitri suffered a serious injury in her chest while colliding with Army’s Anjana Thulung Rai. She required medical attention on the ground for around 10 minutes during which the play was stopped.

APF’s game style changed after the match resumed with Sabitri showing determination to continue playing. Rashmi Kumari Ghising and Sabita Rana Magar missed two major chances in the 33rd and 37th minutes. Army’s Kopila Khadka, who is also a second goalie, made several saves for the team disallowing APF to take a lead.

Sabitri, on the other hand, was not bothered by Army players since her comeback after the injury. But when Sabitri made a save at the end of the first half, where 11 minutes of injury time was added, she required medical attention again; this time, she was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

“Sabitri got hit on the chest due to which she had trouble breathing. Doctors reported she was not in any danger. We expect her to be fit soon,” head coach Pandey said in the post-match conference.

APF then fielded the third goalie, Jharna Dumrakoti, a youngster, at the start of the second half. Jharna too made some crucial saves for APF in the derby. But Kopila could not keep most of the APF shot out.

APF’s first goal came in the 60th minute when skipper Anita Basnet was fouled outside the 18-yard box in the left flank. Head coach Pandey then shouted for Basnet to take the free while Ghising was getting ready; a decision that gave APF the first lead.

Basnet’s freekick to the far corner was headed towards goal by APF defender Nisha Thokar. But around 10 minutes later, Army equalised from a corner kick. Defender Bimala Thapa, who was in the opponent’s box for the corner, got two shots: her first shot rebounded off the woodwork back to her, and she did not miss the second time. 

Nevertheless, another set piece for APF in the 85th minute came as a second boon. APF was awarded a free kick from the penalty arc and Basnet scored from the spot, thanks to a deflection off substitute Hima Chaudhary. Army’s head coach Krishna Singh Thagunna was dissatisfied in the post-match over the decision for that free kick.

“I have only one comment in the game, I was dissatisfied with the referee. You cannot referee in such a big game with just the knowledge of the 16 Laws. A referee should also be calm, his/her reaction should be proper,” said Thagunna, adding, “We will show a better game in the upcoming encounters.”

APF’s coach Pandey also suggested that better referees should be produced during training. “I do not have complaints with today’s refereeing. However, I see many issues that need attention in the refereeing industry. I see referees getting angry when players/coaches complain as if they are the ones with a bigger hierarchy. They are an equal part of the game and they should be friendly.”

Meanwhile, the final goal for APF came through a long ranger from Preeti Rai. Rai’s substitute, Hima Rawat, was ready to come in when Rai scored the banger in the 90th minute from a spot she tried shooting two times already. 

APF defended strictly in the next five minutes of injury time to win the fourth consecutive game in the Final Round. 

While APF reached the top of the table with 12 points in four games, Army and Police are second and third respectively with 7 points each in four games (two wins, one draw, one loss). Army went above on goal difference (Army’s GD: 12, Police’s GD: 1)