Jawalakhel eye historic triumph at Aaha Rara! Pokhara Gold Cup final

By Madhav Prasad Baral,Machhapuchhre, Feb. 21: The 25th edition of the Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup reaches its climax on Saturday, with hosts Sahara Club set to face Jawalakhel Youth Club in what promises to be a compelling final at Pokhara Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 2pm.

Sahara, champions of the 12th edition, enter the contest with ambitions of repeating past glory. 

They famously defeated Manang Marshyangdi Club 1–0 in 2013 to lift the trophy, though they later fell short in subsequent finals. 

Jawalakhel, meanwhile, return to the final after a 14-year absence, determined to script history after losing 2–0 to Manang in 2011.

Both sides have battled hard to reach this stage. Jawalakhel overcame Machhindra Club 2–0, swept aside Church Boys 3–0, and edged Uzbekistan’s Abba Football Club 1–0 in the semi-final. 

Sahara’s path was equally dramatic: they defeated Gorkha International Club of Hong Kong 1–0, edged Nepal Police 6–5 on penalties in the quarter-final, and prevailed 7–6 in a sudden-death shootout against Manang Marshyangdi in the semi-final.

At Friday’s press conference, Sahara coach Sunil Ranamagar declared his side fully prepared to reclaim the title. 

Jawalakhel’s coach Sunil Kumar Shrestha, buoyed by victory over a strong Uzbek side, insisted his players’ morale was high and vowed to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of a historic win. 

Sahara captain Ashish Gurung spoke of his ambition to lift the trophy for a second time, while Jawalakhel skipper Unesh Chaudhary promised to etch his team’s name into the competition’s history.

This year’s tournament featured 12 teams, including three foreign entrants. 

Organisers have increased the prize money, with the winners set to receive Rs. 1.4 million and the runners-up Rs. 700,000.

The final, then, is not only a battle for silverware but also a clash of legacy and ambition. 

Whether Sahara repeat history or Jawalakhel write a new chapter will be decided on Saturday afternoon.