National League: Relief for Giants as Manang and Police Secure First Wins
KATHMANDU — It was a day of redemption for two of Nepali football’s struggling heavyweights. Both Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) and Nepal Police Football Club (NPFC) finally secured their first victories of the season on Monday. They had stuttered at the start of the National League campaign and reached their respective fourth matches before winning. MMC announced their return to form with a dominant 5-1 thrashing of Kakrebihar Club. Meanwhile, the departmental side, Nepal Police Football Club, had to grind out a narrow 1-0 victory over Expert Education Tokha Municipality Shree Bhagawati Club, thanks to an own goal. **Manang Breaks the Curse in Style** In the early kickoff at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, MMC—historically the most successful team in the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League—finally looked like title contenders. They had suffered three consecutive defeats before this match. Facing a winless Kakrebihar side, MMC started with intent. Suresh Kumal broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, giving Manang a much-needed lead. However, the celebrations were short-lived. Sandip Deuwa equalized for Kakrebihar just four minutes later and threatened to frustrate the giants again. MMC quickly regrouped. Anil Kumar restored the lead in the 25th minute, making it 2-1 at halftime. The second half belonged entirely to foreign recruit Gideon Nah of MMC. He extended MMC's lead to 3-1 in the 54th minute and put the game beyond doubt. After teammate Nabaraj Gurung added a fourth, Nah capped off a brilliant individual performance with his second goal. That goal, five minutes from time, sealed a comprehensive 5-1 rout for MMC. The victory comes as a massive relief for MMC, who had previously suffered demoralizing losses to Tribhuvan Army Club (5-0), Machhindra Club (2-1), and Satdobato Youth Club (1-0). Meanwhile, Kakrebihar remains anchored to the bottom of the table without a point, having conceded 14 goals in four matches.  **Police Club Edges Past Shree Bhagawati** In the day’s second match, Nepal Police Football Club finally earned a win, though less impressively. Coming into the match with just one point from three games, the Police side appeared desperate for a result. The decisive moment arrived in the 37th minute, not through a moment of brilliance from the Police attack. Instead, it came via a calamitous error from Shree Bhagawati’s Bishwa Chaudhary, who turned the ball into his own net. The own goal sufficed. Despite both teams’ efforts, the match ended 1-0. The win lifts the pressure off the departmental side and moves them to four points from four matches. Their campaign had started poorly with 1-0 losses to both Planning Boys United and Laliguras Association. Between those losses, NPFC earned a 1-1 draw with Chitlang FC. For Shree Bhagawati, this marked their second league defeat. They had opened with a draw against Church Boys and suffered a heavy 4-0 loss to Jawalakhel. After a 5-1 win over Nawa Janajagriti Yuwa Club, they failed to replicate that attacking prowess against the Police defense.
