By Bootballer Desk • Football • Feb 22, 2025 14:15 PM • 70 views
Bhadrapur, Falgun 10 – Jhapa 11 FC has booked a spot in the semi-finals of the prestigious Bhadrapur Jhapa Gold Cup after edging out A Division League champions Church Boys United 2-1 in a hard-fought quarter-final clash at Mechi Stadium.
With a roaring home crowd behind them, Jhapa 11 opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Aaron Thapa. Capitalizing on a defensive lapse, Thapa lofted a brilliant strike from midfield past an advancing Church Boys goalkeeper, Krishal Moktan, to give his side an early lead.
Church Boys responded just before halftime, equalizing in the 41st minute. A foul by Jhapa's Pradeep Budhathoki on Sujan Dangol handed Church Boys a free kick, which Eric Bista expertly delivered into the box. Bikram Dhimal made no mistake in converting the opportunity and shot the ball past Jhapa custodian Sandeep Limbu to restore parity at 1-1 going into the break.
The decisive moment came in the 79th minute when Jhapa 11 captain Pema Tamang pounced on a loose ball following a save by Moktan, slotting the match-winner to send the Jhapali side into the last four.
Jhapa 11 had multiple chances to extend their lead but were repeatedly denied by an alert Moktan. In the 24th minute, Budhathoki's header from inside the penalty area was comfortably gathered, while Thapa's effort from the edge of the box in the 32nd minute was also thwarted. Church Boys had their own opportunities, including a powerful strike from Prashant Laksham in the 37th minute that was stopped by Limbu, ensuring Jhapa 11's narrow victory.
Tamang was named Player of the Match for his decisive performance. He received a cash prize of NPR 21,000 and a trophy.
After the match, Jhapa 11 head coach Angur Kumar Khadgi lauded his team's unity and resilience against top-tier opposition. "Our teamwork has allowed us to compete effectively with A Division teams. The players' consistent performances have been crucial in securing back-to-back wins," he stated. However, he also called for fair officiating, emphasizing the need for referees to maintain high standards in crucial games.
Meanwhile, Church Boys manager Sabin Dangi cited the absence of key players as a significant setback. "Our main squad is currently occupied with commitments at another tournament, which impacted our performance. Playing in Mofussil tournaments presents unique challenges, and we have to adapt," he said.
The tournament action continues with the third quarter-final of the Saurya Air Om Sai Pathibhara Hospital Bhadrapur Jhapa Gold Cup Football Tournament Gambhir Rai Memorial edition, where Nepal's New Road Team (NRT) will take on Bangladesh's Kawaran Bazar Pragati Sangh on Sunday.
