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| Kathmandu, Monday August 04, 2003 Shrawan 19, 2060. |
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Manang Marshyangdi clinch
league title
POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, Aug 3 : Manang Marshyandi Club (MMC)
claimed the country’s national league for the fifth time on last seven occasions with
a thumping 8-1 win over lowly Kathmandu Club today at the Dashrath Stadium.
Mighty MMC were crowned the Martyr’s
Memorial ANFA San Miguel League champions with a game in hand as they accumulated
unassailable 28 points from 10 games, five points clear of second placed Mahendra Police
Club (MPC) who too have only one game left.
It was a great moment for MMC as they had played
seven leagues since their entry to ‘A’ division and won five of them in 2043,
44, 46 and 57 including the one on their first attempt.
After the win against Kathmandu Club, they
celebrated the title triumph by greeting spectators who were eagerly waiting for the end
of the game to see their favourite club declared the winner and put on vermilion powder
and khada brought by club officials.
‘The team effort,’ was the reason
behind the success of MMC, according to coach Arjun Lama and captain Kumar Thapa who were
ecstatic after the game that saw two hattricks - one each from Basant Thapa and Rajan
Rayamajhi. For Lama and Thapa, it was the first league as a coach and captain
respectively.
The match, rather a ‘mismatch’, was
totally dominated by MMC although Kathmandu Club produced a few threatening
counter-attacks. The Thamel-club took the lead as early as in the 11th minute with Basant
Thapa scoring a fine goal after taking pass from Kumar Thapa just near the penalty spot,
turning and hitting it past veteran goalkeeper Mrigendra Misra.
But nine minutes later it was Kathmandu Club
fans’ chance to cheer as two Ganesh Limbu - both playing in the league for the first
time - coordinated a goal. Limbu with jersey number 28 set a pass for other Limbu with
jersey number 33 who scored from the six yard box after getting better of goalkeeper Binod
Dangol.
Deepak Lama put MMC on lead in the 27th minute
with a header on Basant Thapa’s cross. Three minutes later, other midfielder Basant
Gauchan scored easily beating the keeper on a pass from Rajesh Shahi.
The good thing for Kathmandu Club apart from a
goal was that they kept MMC quiet although letting them control the game throughout the
first half.
Out-of-form striker Rajan Rayamajhi scored the
first goal of second half as bad bounce just in front of goalie Misra did the trick. The
goal probably gave Rayamajhi much needed confidence and he went on to complete hattrick
scoring next two goals within 11 minutes.
Rayamajhi’s second was scored on a short
pass inside penalty area from Deepak Lama in the 63rd minute and his hattrick was
completed on similar coordination in the 65th minute.
Successful striker Basant Thapa scored his
second, and the team’s seventh, in 72nd minute through a header off Kumar Thapa’s
corner-kick. He too completed his hattrick a minute from time scoring his 14th goal in the
league. His hattrick also put him on par with MPC’s Ramesh Budhathoki for highest
scorer honour. "The players are good themselves, I just needed to direct a little and
prepare them mentally for the victory," coach Arjun Lama said. |
