Lalitpur City FC Edge Dhangadhi in 10-Man Thriller, Storm into NSL Final Again
Lalitpur City FC showed championship grit and flair under pressure as they booked their spot in the Nepal Super League (NSL) final for the second consecutive season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Dhangadhi FC at the Dasharath Stadium on Saturday. Despite being reduced to 10 men as early as the 16th minute, Lalitpur displayed defensive resilience and clinical finishing to outlast a determined Dhangadhi side in the high-stakes first qualifier. The early sending off of Mani Kumar Lama — after a collision with Dhangadhi's Mohammad Aljooni and a consultation between referee Umesh Bidari and assistant Kisankanhaiya Yadav — put Lalitpur on the back foot. But the defending champions refused to fold. Frenchman Kervens Belfort lit up Tripureshwor with a sensational free-kick in the 57th minute, giving Lalitpur a shock lead despite the numerical disadvantage. However, the joy was short-lived, as Dhangadhi responded swiftly. Substitute George Prince Karki immediately scored just a minute after coming on in the 60th minute. He pounced on a poorly cleared corner from Sergio Barbajo and slotted home to level the score at 1-1. But Lalitpur wasn't done. In the 79th minute, it was Papa Ibo Kebe's turn to dazzle. The Ivorian forward danced past four defenders and unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the area to again put Lalitpur ahead — a goal worthy of winning any knockout clash. Tensions flared in the dying minutes. Dhangadhi defender Juan Caicedo was shown a second yellow for a reckless challenge, while Lalitpur's Pepe Diakate also received a straight red following a heated exchange. Both sides ended the match with ten men. With the win, Lalitpur is now one match away from defending its NSL title. Dhangadhi, meanwhile, will have another shot at reaching the final—they'll face the winner of the eliminator between FC Chitwan and Pokhara Thunders in the second qualifier.
