By Sachit Subba • Football • Nov 04, 2025 13:16 PM • 33 views
Departmental giants APF Football Club, Kathmandu, delivered a ruthless and emphatic statement of intent on Friday, crushing India's Singling Sporting Club (Sikkim) 7–0 at the Dudhe Stadium in Shivasatakshi to secure their place in the semifinals of the Jhapa Women's Gold Cup. From the opening whistle, APF demonstrated superior class and intensity, utilising relentless high pressing and disciplined possession to immediately dismantle the visitors' defensive lines. Their persistence paid off just shy of the half-hour mark when Sabita Rana Magar struck the opener in the 29th minute. Nine minutes later, the lead was doubled by Anita Basnet, who capitalised effectively on a defensive lapse after Saru Limbu's header ricocheted off the box. The final minutes of the first half turned into a decisive carnage: Rashmi Kumari Ghising found the back of the net in the 41st minute, and Basnet bagged her brace deep into injury time, sending APF into the break with a commanding 5–0 advantage.
The second half mirrored the first, with APF maintaining complete control. In the 71st minute, Anita KC connected beautifully with a cross from Rana Magar to extend the lead to six. The night's headline, however, was sealed by Ghising, who completed her decisive hat-trick in the 84th minute, finishing off a pass from Anita KC to confirm the 7–0 triumph. Ghising's stunning performance deservedly earned her the Player of the Match award. Sikkim managed only two real moments of threat: a 21st-minute shot saved comfortably by APF custodian Anjana Rana, and a clear one-on-one chance in the 80th minute that Sukriya frustratingly failed to convert. Following the dominant win, APF head coach Jibesh Pandey praised his team, stating, "The girls played exactly to the plan—disciplined, composed, and clinical from start to finish." Sikkim coach Laku Phurbi Bhutia chose to view the heavy loss as valuable experience, noting, "Our team is young. This defeat will make us stronger. We'll bounce back better." The tournament continues tomorrow with the third quarterfinal featuring Sankata Football Club, Kathmandu, against local hopefuls Jhapa FC. The champions of the Jhapa Women's Gold Cup are set to take home a significant purse of Rs 10 lakh, while the runners-up will receive Rs 5 lakh. The final is scheduled for November 9 (Kartik 24).
