The National League-2082 kicked off at the ANFA Complex Ground in Satdobato, Lalitpur on Wednesday, marking the resumption of domestic club football in the country.
It is not the ‘real’ top-tier league of the country. But with the inclusion of 13 of the 14 A-Division clubs and the All Nepal Football Association giving the winner a ticket to the AFC Championship, it is the major league of the season, though there is no relegation and promotion this time.
Kankrebihar Club, one of the four clubs that qualified from the ANFA President League, and Friends’ Club Kopundole, an A-Division outfit, played the opening match of the league.
Kankrebihar, the Surkhet-based club, raised eyebrows by leading first against Friends’ Club.
Sandip Deuba, Kankrebihar’s No 7, got a pass with green grass ahead of him from the centre in the seventh minute. In a 1v1 situation with Friends’ Club’s goalie Sarin GC, Deuba dribbled past but was troubled by defender Khemraj Shrestha. However, while trying to clear the ball as Deuba had an open goalpost in front of him, Shrestha scored an own goal.
“The players were not set as it was the first game of the tournament,” Friends’ assistant coach Bimal Magar said in the post-match conference. “It was why we conceded early.”
Magar also accepted that the team was under pressure after the first goal. “But as the match went on, the players started getting organised,” he added. “And after the equaliser, the players and their game got better.”
Prashant Laksam had missed a clear chance in the 45+1 minutes, with Kankrebihar’s goalkeeper Sup Bahadur Shahi making a great save. But a minute later, Laksam made another attempt, and, this time, Shahi could not keep the ball out.
Friends’ had a better chance in the 35th minute as well. But it was foiled by a goalline clearance by Suden Bikram Sing Bishowkarma.
As the second half began, Prabesh Basnet, who replaced Rajesh Pariyar on the right wing in the 10th minute, completed the comeback. Ashish Chapagain set the ball for Basnet to score from the 18-yard box in the 59th minute.
Chapagain had the most chances for Friends’ throughout the match. However, he was continuously failing. But in the 90th minute, he found the back of the net and made it 3-1.
“It was the first game, and the players were struggling to settle. We led early, but we could not keep the momentum,” Asim Khadka, assistant coach of Kankrebihar, said after the loss. “We also had problems in the midfield. But there are still many games to play, and we will do better.”
When asked if Kankrebihar planned on bringing in foreign players, Khadka said, “We are giving opportunities to our local players. That is our plan with this club: to give a platform to our pure local players.”
Kankrebihar and Friends’ will play their respective second match of the league at Chyasal Stadium on January 18 against Sankata FC and APF FC, respectively.
Church Boys and Shree Bhagawati’s draw
Church Boys United are one of the favourites in the league as they are the champions of the last Martyr’s Memorial ‘A’ Division League. However, when they came to play the second match of the opening day, they appeared to be the shell of their former self.
Several of the Church Boys players were in Sikkim, India, for the 11th All India Chief Minister’s International Gold Cup Football Tournament. But despite including the likes of Rohit Chand in the squad, Church Boys lost 0-2 to Red Panda Sikkim.
“We had to distribute our players as the club was also playing in India,” said Ramesh Dangal, assistant coach of Church Boys, in the post-match conference after a 1-1 draw with Shree Bhagawati Club. “We still had a good team here, though we did not get the result we expected.”
There were two instances when the shots from Church Boys hit the post, including Abayomi Oluwaseun Fakunle’s in the 38th minute.
Nigerian Peter Segun, a long-known name in the Nepali club football scene, was the centre of defence for Shree Bhagawati, one of the two newly-promoted sides to the A Division. He and his defending teammates, alongside goalkeeper Krishal Moktan, disallowed Church Boys’ regular attack from being converted into more goals.
“We had come to this game with the aim: we will take three points, if not, at least one,” Shree Bhagwati’s head coach Sanoj Shrestha told the press. “Overall, I was happy with the team as they were pretty much organised despite it being our first game of the tournament.”
Harihar Buda Magar gave the lead to Shree Bhagawati in the 45th minute with a beautiful half-volley. Martins Kayode Ajayi chested the ball that came from a free kick and set it for Magar to score.
Into the second half, Shree Bhagawati were keeping the lead safe. But in the 65th minute, Church Boys’ captain Arik Bista equalised with a free kick.
“We have two more foreign players joining us,” Dangal said. “Neymar, who previously played for NRT, and Serge Dicka, who was previously with Nepal Police Club, will be joining the club.”
Similarly, Shree Bhagawati’s head coach Shrestha also informed that the process to include a foreign player in the squad was in the pipeline.
Shree Bhagawati’s second match of the league is against Jawalakhel Youth Club at ANFA Complex on January 18. Meanwhile, Church Boys will play their next match against APF FC at Chyasal Stadium on January 22.
“We have a big gap for the next fixture, so we will be able to train better and improve the team game,” said Dangal. “It will also be easy to get used to the artificial turf of ANFA Complex as the players are only used to playing on green grass.”
The two fixtures scheduled for Thursday are Satdobato Youth Club vs Sankata FC at 11am and Laligurans Association vs Jawalakhel Youth Club at 3pm. Both the matches will take place at ANFA Complex.