Pokhara’s Pride: Hosts Sahara Club Dethrone Jawalakhel to Claim 25th Aaha Rara Gold Cup Title
POKHARA – In a historic moment for the Lake City, host Sahara Club Pokhara ended a 12-year title drought by clinching the 25th Aaha! Rara Pokhara Gold Cup with a decisive 2-0 victory over Jawalakhel Youth Club. Playing at the Pokhara Stadium on Saturday, the hosts showcased clinical efficiency to claim their first trophy since 2013 (2070 BS). The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Mukunda Niure found the back of the net, handing Sahara an early momentum that they never relinquished. The victory was effectively sealed in the 73rd minute when Taye Daniel doubled the lead, leaving the top-tier Jawalakhel side with no way back into the contest.  This edition carried special significance as the "Silver Jubilee" of the tournament, marking 25 years since its inception. While the organisers had initially intended to host the tournament under floodlights, technical difficulties after the opening match forced the schedule back to daytime fixtures; however, the shift did little to deter the passionate home crowd. As the winners of this milestone edition, Sahara Club Pokhara walked away with a purse of NPR 1.4 million, while runners-up Jawalakhel Youth Club received NPR 701,000. The tournament, which featured 12 competing teams and began on Magh 27, concludes not just as a sporting success but as a monumental homecoming for a club that remains a cornerstone of Nepali football culture.
