By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 2: A brace from Ashish Lama guided Armed Police Force (APF) to register their first win at on-going Martyr’s Memorial A Division League. The departmental side defeated bottom-of-the-table Saraswoti Youth Club 2-1 at ANFA Complex, Satdobato, Lalitpur on Thursday.
Ashish Lama netted two goals at the second half Biond KC of Saraswoti scored a consolation goal for the team. KC netted the first ever goal for Saraswoti.
Saraswoti suffered four defeats in a row and had scored just one goal and conceded 9 in their four matches. The team has not gained a single point in the league till now.
With today’s victory, the departmental side APF moved to the 10th spot with four points on the better goal difference basis. New Road Team Chyasal Youth Club and Sankata Club are placed at the 8th, 9th and 11th spot respectively with equal four points from four matches.
After the end of the fourth round, defending champions Manang Marsyangdi Club (MMC) is leading the league point table 10 points from 4 matches while Machhindra Football Club (MFC) is in the second spot with 9 points.
The first half of the match was ended goalless draw and with the APF piling up attacks in the second half. Lama broke the deadlock for APF in the 63rd minute as he scored the goal for APF after Prabin Lama set the ball for Lama after his strike one-versus-one with Saraswoti’s goalie Pradeep Bhandari was rebound off the goalie.
Lama provided the first ever three points of this season to departmental side APF in the second minute of the injury time after netting his second individual goal.
After the few seconds of Lama’s second goal, KC scored the consolation goal for Saraswoti.
Saraswoti also made a couple of scoring chances but all efforts went in the vain as its player Dipesh Shrestha failed to put the team ahead after his powerful strike from inside box was made punched away by APF goalie Amrit Kumari Chaudhary in the 8th minute.
Saraswoti players Dipesh failed to put his team ahead in the 55th minute after APF’s goalie Chaudhary made a brilliant save.
Saraswoti got a chance to share point against APF after its player Manish Ghale’s powerful strike from the edge of box was rebounded off the APF’s goal-post.
After suffered a fourth defeated in a row Saraswoti Coach Pradeep Nepal expressed that they was in a critical situation after failed to score on time.
“Though our striking line was poor we played against APF wonderfully. But due to our bad luck we lost the match,” Coach Nepal said.
“We will make a comeback in next match and I haven’t never and ever thought about relegation,” Coach Nepal added.
After registering first victory at the league, APF Coach Rajendra Tamang said that his team was under pressure to win the match against Saraswoti for the safe from relegation zone.
“Our performance today might cause our defeat and we could have lost the match against Saraswoti but today luck was on our side so we grabbed the vital three points from Saraswoti,” Coach Tamang said.
Meanwhile, Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) will faceoof New Road Team (NRT) in the first match and defending champions MCC will take Machhindra Football Club in the second match of the fifth round on Saturday.