APF Club Crowned Champions of Inaugural Lumbini Cup
The Armed Police Force (APF fc) clinched the title of the inaugural Lumbini Cup International Invitational Women's Football Tournament with a dramatic 1-0 victory over rivals Nepal Police Club in Friday's final at Nepalgunj Stadium Banke. In a tightly contested match between two of Nepal's top departmental sides, APF's Geeta Rana rose to the occasion—literally—with a towering header deep into stoppage time, sealing the win in injury time and breaking Police hearts. With the win, APF not only lifted their third consecutive Mofusal tournament trophy of this season and the first trophy of 2082—having already won the Ilam and Chitwan Gold Cups—but also reinforced their status as a dominant force in Nepali women's football. The team, featuring a core of national team players, had claimed the women's league title. As champions of the eight-team tournament, APF walked away with a cash prize of Rs 505,555, while runners-up Nepal Police Club received Rs 250,000 and the trophy and medals. APF's road to the final began in pool B, where they thrashed Karnali Province 6-0 before overcoming Rautahat 3-0 in the semifinals. Nepal Police, on the other hand, cruised past India's Siliguri FC 4-0 in their opener and edged out Tribhuvan Army Club in a dramatic sudden-death penalty shootout in the last four. The first edition of the Lumbini Cup featured a diverse field, including the host side Banke-11, Sudurpaschim Province FA, and district-level associations, along with international entrants like Siliguri FC of India.
