Key Highlights :
1. Manang Marshyangdi Club lost 3-0 to Church Boys United in A Division League play.
2. Jawalakhel shared spoils with Sankata Club.
3. Ananta Tamang scored the opening goal for United in the 41st minute and Ranjit Singh Pandre scored the third goal in the injury time.
4. United coach Bal Gopal Maharjan lauded his boys for the excellent performance.
5. National team striker Anjan Bista praised the players for putting in their best efforts in the match.
6. MMC coach Kiran Shrestha said the team was going through hard times and all stakeholders needed to back the players.
7. Leaders JYC were held to a 1-1 draw by Sankata Club.
8. Fode Fofana put JYC ahead with a goal in the 33rd minute at the Chyasal Stadium. The match was stopped in the 51st minutes and the teams returned to ANFA Complex grounds to play the remaining time.
9. JYC failed to preserve the lead and Nishan Khadka scored the equaliser in the 73rd minute following a pass from Manish Dangi.
10. In another match that got postponed yesterday, Tribhuvan Army Football Club played a 1-1 draw with Himalayan Sherpa Club. The match was stopped in the 71st minute with the teams tied at 1-1 and both the teams failed to score today and they were forced to share points.
11. TAFC took an early lead after Nawayug Shrestha headed home a cross from Gillespye Jung Karki in the first minute of the match. The former national team skipper Shrestha netted the fastest goal of the league in the 36th second with a glancing header from close range after following a sublime cross from Karki, who dodged as many as two HSC defenders before setting the goal.
12. HSC levelled the scores in the 55th minute when Biswas Shrestha converted a free kick from outside the box into the far post.
13. In the last match of the first leg, Royal Blue Satdobato Youth Club held two-time defending champions Machhindra Football Club to a goalless draw at the Dasharath Stadium.
14. After the completion of 13 matches of the first leg, JYC accumulated 24 points and they are two points ahead of Three Star Club at the top.
15. Satdobato, who also have 22 points, are third, while Church Boys United moved up to fourth on 21, one more than fifth-placed Tribhuvan Army FC.
16. Nepal APF FC
Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) faced their sixth consecutive defeat in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League on Sunday, going down 3-0 against newcomers Church Boys United. Ananta Tamang, Mousam Subba and Saimon Limbu scored one goal each for the United at the ANFA Complex grounds.
The eight-time champions had a slow start to the match and failed to score in the first 15-20 minutes. United coach Bal Gopal Maharjan was satisfied with the team's performance and praised his boys for the excellent performance. National team striker Anjan Bista, who returned to the squad after missing eight matches due to facial injury, echoed his coach's version and praised the players for putting in their best efforts in the match.
Meanwhile, leaders Jawalakhel shared spoils with Sankata Club, while Tribhuvan Army Football Club played a 1-1 draw with Himalayan Sherpa Club. Royal Blue Satdobato Youth Club held two-time defending champions Machhindra Football Club to a goalless draw.
After the completion of 13 matches of the first leg, Jawalakhel are at the top of the table with 24 points, two points ahead of Three Star Club. Church Boys United moved up to fourth on 21 points, one more than fifth-placed Tribhuvan Army FC.
MMC coach Kiran Shrestha said the team was going through hard times and all stakeholders needed to back the players. He added that the team had the potential to do a lot more and needed to continue this performance from the start of the second leg.
The second leg matches will be played from Tuesday.
