FC Chitwan Off to a Winning Start in NSL Season 3, Defeats Pokhara Thunders
FC Chitwan kicked off their Nepal Super League (NSL) Season 3 campaign in style, securing a 2-0 victory over Pokhara Thunders in their opening match at Dasharath Stadium on Monday. Midfielder Nodir Mablonov and substitute Niraj Chaudhary scored for Chitwan, earning them three crucial points and making them the first team to register a win in this season's tournament. Mablonov opened the scoring in the 15th minute, capitalizing on a cutback from Victor Mansare to slot home a first-time finish from outside the box. The match remained competitive, with Pokhara pressing hard in the second half, but their finishing let them down. Pokhara had multiple opportunities to equalize, with Joe Aidoo's powerful 30-yard strike sailing over the bar in the 53rd minute and Stephen Samir Binong's close-range header missing the target four minutes later. Chitwan sealed the win deep into stoppage time when substitute Chaudhary, just moments after coming on, found the back of the net to put the game to bed. Elsewhere in NSL Season 3, the opening match between Lalitpur City FC and Kathmandu Rangers ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Saturday, while Butwal Lumbini FC and Jhapa FC played out a goalless stalemate on Sunday. With this result, Chitwan set the early pace in the league, showing intent for a strong campaign ahead.
