Mina Magic Seals the Deal — Police Edge APF 1–0 for the Title
Nepal Police Club clinched the title of the Jhapa Women’s Gold Cup after a narrow yet hard-fought 1–0 victory over departmental rivals APF Football Club in the final held at the Dudhe Stadium, Shivasatakshi, Jhapa, on Monday. The match kicked off at a high tempo with both sides showing attacking intent early on. In the third minute, Police nearly took the lead when Mina Deuba’s sharp strike from Pooja Rana’s precise cross was brilliantly denied by APF goalkeeper Anjana Rana Magar. APF responded swiftly, but forward Nisha Thokar’s attempt off captain Anita Basnet’s cross went just over the bar in the fifth minute. Police’s Rekha Poudel looked dangerous in the 20th minute, dribbling past two defenders only to see her shot saved by Anjana again. Two minutes later, the deadlock was finally broken. A shot from Rekha ricocheted off a defender and fell kindly to an unmarked Mina Deuba inside the penalty area. With ice-cold composure, Deuba slotted the ball past the helpless goalkeeper to hand Police a 1–0 lead. APF had a golden chance to equalise in the 33rd minute, but captain Anita Basnet failed to hit the target from close range after a fine volleyed cross from Anita KC. Minutes later, APF earned a free kick when Sabita Rana was brought down, but Basnet’s curling effort was superbly parried away by Police shot-stopper Usha Nath. Just before halftime, Rekha Poudel’s close-range shot went inches wide after a fine solo run from Mina Deuba, who danced past three players before setting her up.  The second half continued at a balanced rhythm, marked by end-to-end exchanges. In the 62nd minute, APF defender Manmaya Damai received a yellow card for tripping Rekha Poudel on a threatening run, giving Police a free-kick opportunity. Captain Amrita Jaishi stepped up but couldn’t keep her shot on target. APF pressed hard for an equaliser late in the game. In the 84th minute, Rashmi Ghising found Renuka Nagarkoti with a clever pass just outside the box, but Renuka’s attempt missed narrowly wide. Five minutes later, Rashmi’s fierce drive was once again kept out by the dependable Police goalkeeper, Usha Nath. Ultimately, Mina Deuba’s 22nd-minute strike stood as the match-winner — sealing Nepal Police Club’s triumph and marking a historic success in the women’s football circuit. With the championship, Nepal Police walked away with a cash prize of NPR 1.01 million, along with medals and the prestigious trophy. Runners-up APF received NPR 500,000.  The awards ceremony celebrated individual brilliance as well — Mina Deuba claimed both the Player of the Tournament and Top Scorer honours, netting seven goals throughout the competition. She pocketed NPR 150,000 for the best Player and NPR 25,000 as the top scorer. Pooja Rana was named Player of the Match, while other category winners included: **Best Goalkeeper**: Usha Nath (Police) **Best Defender**: Manmaya Damai (APF) **Best Midfielder**: Renuka Nagarkoti (APF) **Best Forward**: Anita Basnet (APF) **Best Coach**: Bhola Silwal (Police) **Emerging Player**: Jennifer Rana Magar (Army) Each awardee received NPR 25,000.  Under the captaincy of Amrita Jaishi, the Police displayed disciplined defence, dynamic midfield play, and quick counter-attacks that kept APF under pressure throughout. The trio of Mina Deuba’s sharp finishing, Reka Poudel’s creativity, and Usha Nath’s heroic goalkeeping were instrumental in delivering the title. The champions and runners-up were felicitated by Santosh Thopra (Chairperson of the Gold Cup), Meghahang Thopra (Mayor of Shivasatakshi Municipality), Kedar Giri (President of Jhapa Gold Cup), and Sita Pandey (Vice President of International Jhapa Society), among other distinguished guests.
