Rai fires NPC into quarters

KATHMANDU, DEC 06 -

Captain Jumanu Rai scored a hat-trick to guide Nepal Police Club(NPC) into the quarter-finals of the Ncell Cup football tournament with a 3-0 win over Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club, while Boy’s Union Club (BUC) defeated Saraswoti Youth Club (SYC) 3-1 to keep their hopes alive of progressing into the last eight here at the Dasharath Stadium on Thursday.

In the clash between the two departmental sides, APF created the first meaningful opportunity of the game when captain Ganesh Lawati’s shot from inside the area hit the upright after he pounced on Ranjan Bista’s through ball in the 6th minute. APF were punished for their early miss when forward Jumanu cleverly chipped the ball over keeper Amrit Chaudhary from the edge of the box to put his side ahead in the 27th minute.

Jumanu and Yugal Kishor combined well to construct NPC’s second when the skipper guided the ball pass Chaudhary after controlling Yugal’s headed pass inside the area in the 65th minute.

Jumanu then completed his hat-trick six minutes later, cutting in from the left and releasing a powerful shot into the top corner. Santosh Shrestha had a chance to score a consolation for APF but he was denied by the alert custodian Ritesh Thapa in the 81st minute.

NPC coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said that the win was important but his side was not at their best in their first game of the tournament. “Considering our lack of preparation, it was a decent result.” APF coach Krishna Thapa rued on the missed chances and said it was important that his side now start preparing for the league.

In the second game, Ashim Jung Karki opened the scoring for BUC in the 17th minute with a sublime 40-yard freekick that SYC custodian Ashok Baral watched swirl into the top corner. Krishna Gopal Shrestha, however, levelled the scores in the 47th minute when he pounced on a poor clearance by Sagun Shrestha inside the box and guided the ball into the net.

BUC, who were in a must win situation after their 1-0 defeat to Manang Marshyandi Club on Tuesday, went ahead following Rakesh Lama’s cool finish inside the area in the 54 th minute. Second half substitute Kiran Rai confirmed BUC’s win when he fired home Akeem Baba Tunde’s cross into the top corner from the edge of the area in the 85th minute.

BYC coach Bijay Maharjan commended his players for their efforts after a hard-fought win. 

Nepal cricket team to train in India

KATHMANDU, SEP 10 -

As part of the preparation for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers the national cricket team will travel to India to play practice matches.

According to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), the national team will play around 10 matches with the teams associated with Delhi District Cricket Association (DDC).

The Delhi tour was organised by High Performance Programme Committee, a seven-member team formed under the chairmanship of CAN President Tanka Angbuhang, which will design programmes to prepare the cricketers for the two World Cup Qualifiers.

The Delhi tour is scheduled to run through October 20-30.

According to Angbuhang, CAN has set aside a budget of $ 250,000 under the High Performance Programme (HPP) out of which $ 175,000 is a grant from the ICC to prepare for the two qualifiers.

Likewise, ACC has granted $ 20,000 each for the Twenty20 and 50-over world cup qualifiers and National Sports Council has provided Rs 40,000.

The Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers will run through November 15-30 in Dubai while the One Day World Cup Qualifier is slated for January 8-February 1 in New Zealand.

Prior to the Delhi tour, the cricketers will undergo bowling and batting camp. CAN has hired Australian Chris Harris, who is the  batting coach for the Victoria State, to coach the national team in a week-long camp which runs through October 4-10.

Similarly, 10 bowlers from the Sri Lankan A team will assist our batsmen to practice playing pace attack, from September 15-24.

“They bowl faster than our bowlers and we believe this will help our boys face the pace of Afghanistan and Ireland,’ manager of HPP said.

CAN also revealed that the HPP will arrange home and away practice matches with neighbouring countries like India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, CAN has appointed Amrit Mathur and Amir Akhtar as the international and national counselor respectively.

Afghanistan are new saff champions

KATHMANDU, SEP 12 -

A goal in each half by Mustafa Azadozoy and Sanjadar Ahmadi sawAfghanistan avenging their defeat of the seventh edition as they won the SAFF Championship following their 2-0 victory against India at the Dashrath stadium on Wednesday evening.

They were awarded with

$ 50,000 along with the winner’s trophy for the feat.

With their maiden regional title, Afghanistan also ended their blues against India preventing the latter from winning third titles in a row—six in total—by registering their first ever victory from six encounters since 1951, including a draw.

“As long as Afghanistan is here, Indian domination in the South Asian region in football is over,” said elated Afghani coach Yousef Kargar.

“Our achievement has great meaning. After 30 years of destructive war, we have given an inexplicable reason for Afghani people to cherish about with our first title. Our happiness knows no bound.

“Our win is dedicated towards national unity, a common reason to celebrate for a country splintered in numerous ethnic divisions. We are grateful to Allah for such happiness.”

Surprisingly, Indian coach Win Kovermans benched skipper Sunil Chhetri and opted to go into the match with the unchanged line-up that have face Maldives in the semi-final.

Robin Singh started as the lone striker with Indian coach looking to cash in on with his physical and height superiority.

Azadozoy put Afghanistan front early in the ninth minute. Mustafa Hadid crossed for Balal Arezou and he sent Azadozoy through at the close range who slotted home with ease rounding off goalkeeper Subrata Paul.

India step up to pile pressure upon Afghanistan after lagging behind but rugged Afghani defense had all the answers to keep them at bay.

Against the run of play Afghanistan doubled their lead in the 62nd minute. Belal Arezou’s shot was blocked by Paul only to find it rolling on the path of Ahmadi who lobbed the ball over the Indian custodian.

“I am proud of how my boys played. We missed awful lot of chances. But football is all about scoring goals. I want to congratulate Afghanistan for their historic win,” said Indian Dutch coach Win Koverman.

Afghanistan , who had lost 4-0 to India in the previous edition, comprised of seven players from the last edition and were the only team guided by the home coach. They have remained undefeated since then.

Afghanistan are the top South Asian team in the FIFA rankings (139) and remain as the only team to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup.

They have emerged as the powerhouse of the region since past two years with nine of their players trading their sweat in leagues abroad, including five in Europe.

Afghanistan are the fourth team to win the region’s biggest championship. India have won it five times—1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011—while Bangladesh (2003) and Maldives (2008) won it in one occasion each.

Luis Suarez: Liverpool striker calls on club to let him leave Anfield

AUG 07 -

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has said he wants to leave the club and join a side competing in the Champions League

The Uruguay international, 26, intends to submit a transfer request by the end of the week if a move is blocked.

Suarez told the Guardian and Telegraph newspapers that the Reds "promised" he could leave this summer if they did not qualify for the Champions League.

"I gave absolutely everything last season. Now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement," he said.

"Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I'd be allowed to go."

Arsenal have made two bids, with the latest a pound more than £40m, in an attempt to trigger a release clause.

Liverpool, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, have rejected the offers and insisted the clause does not force them to sell.

Suarez has not travelled with the squad for a pre-season match in Norway because of a foot injury.

"I am 26, I need to be playing in the Champions League. I feel I have done enough to be playing in the Champions League at this stage of my career. Now there is an option for me to do that and I want very much to take it," he said.

"I don't feel betrayed but the club promised me something a year ago, just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League."

Liverpool meet Valerenga on Wednesday in their penultimate friendly before the start of the season but Suarez will not feature.

He is due to have a scan on his foot injury in the next 24 hours, joining Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel in staying in England to receive treatment.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has insisted Arsenal's offer remains well short of Liverpool's valuation.

"If Arsenal want the player they have to produce the value for the player," Rodgers said last month.

Suarez, who joined the club in January 2011 from Ajax for £22.7m and signed a long-term contract extension in August 2012, scored 30 goals in 44 appearances for the Reds last season.

Liverpool conclude their pre-season preparations with a friendly against Celtic in Dublin on Saturday before starting their Premier League campaign a week later against Stoke City at Anfield

Five-star Nepal advance to final

KATHMANDU, JUL 28 -

Nepal thrashed Bangladesh 5-1 to storm into the final of the Second SAFF U-16 Championships on Saturday.

The hosts outplayed Bangladesh in all departments of the game in front of an electric crowd in what proved to be a one-sided semi final at the Dasharath Stadium.

The home team started the game on the front foot creating chances from the first whistle.  Nepal ’s initial dominance paid off in the 8th minute when Bimal Gharti Magar’s flick over theBangladesh keeper rebounded off the cross bar and landed at  Shiv Subedi’s feet, who tapped in the first goal.

The hosts continued to dominate a weaker Bangladesh defence.Nepal doubled their lead in the 20th minute when Bimal who has been in fine form in the tournament headed home Amit Tamang’s cross.  With this goal the striker who has already made his debut in the national side took his tally to six goals.

Anjan Bista netted the third goal in the 23rd minute as he put the ball in the net after skipper Hemant Thapa Magar’s corner created a scramble in the box.

The nervous looking Bangladesh side attempted to come back into the game. Bangladesh won three consecutive corners later in the first half but Nepal i defence, spurred on by the huge home support managed to avert any danger to maintain their three goal lead.

Bangladesh made a better start in the second half when captain Mohammad Tutul Hossain Badsha fired a long range effort straight at goalkeeper Roman Rasaili.

But Nepal were gifted a fourth when defender Mohamad Atikuzzaman put Bikash Thapa’s cross into his own net in the 56th minute.

Bangladesh ’s misery continued when their custodian Mohammad Pappu Hossain mishandled a regular ball in the box to provide Sujan Limbu an easy goal three minutes later.

Bangladesh pulled a goal back against the run of play when Al Amin Tushar ran clear of the Nepal i defence which seemed to have switched off residing on a 5 goal lead.

Nepal created further goal scoring in the dying moments. Bimal’s header was cleared off the line by Mohammad S. Hossain while another header from the leading goal scorer hit the bar minutes later. A comprehensive 5-1 score line showed Nepal ’s supremacy according to coach Bal Gopal Maharjan.

“We were the better team in all departments today. I have been saying my team has the capability of winning the title and performances like this one back my words, “sated a proud Maharjan. “We got complacent after scoring 5 goals which lead to some defensive lapses. We must ensure that this will not happen in the final.”

On the other hand, disappointed Bangladesh coach Koster Rene criticised his team for making school boy errors.

“I think my players got nervous in front of such a big crowd. We also made some silly mistakes and our game slumped after that. But credit to Nepal for comprehensively beating us,” said Rene.

Nepal will now vie for the title with the winners of the semifinal between India and Afghanistan on Tuesday.

India to meet Nepal in final

KATHMANDU, JUL 29 -

Heavyweights India survived Afghanistan scare as they squeezed to the final of the Second SAFF U-16 Football Championship with a 4-3 shootout victory at Nepal Army ground on Sunday. The teams were tied without a score in the regulation time.      

India will now take on hosts Nepal in what promises to be an exhilarating final at Dasharath Stadium on Tuesday. With the scores tied at 4-3 in the shootout, Afghanistan’s Rezahi Mortaza shot into the right post, igniting a raucous celebrations in the Indian camp.  India recovered from an inauspicious start, with Krishna Pandit lifting his shot over the bar, to secure their second consecutive final of the competition.    

Bedashwor Singh, Prosenjit Chakraborty, Surya Tirkey and Aaron Franklyn, who followed Pandit, were on target for India, while Atiqulallah Waziri, Nasar Ahmad Nekzad and Sardari Amanulla found the back of the net for Afghanistan.

Indian coach Goutam Ghosh was all praise for his team’s tight defence, but was  taken aback by his strikers.

“We were kept under pressure for most part of the match. Our boys at the back weathered the storm, defending really well. But our strikers seemed worn out today. We’ve got to step up our efforts in attack in  the final,” he said.

Afghanistan coach Waheedullan Wahedi, in his reaction, said: “Lady luck deserted us today.”

Saff U-16 focus on youth development

KATHMANDU, JUL 20 -

The objective of organising SAFF U-16 Championship is finally bearing its fruit with all the participants focusing on playing their best game instead of the putting themselves under pressure of winning the trophy.

Along with host Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are participating in the second edition of the championship which will kick off on Saturday.

The coaches on the eve of the championship said their sole objective was to give their players a learning opportunity. “As it is a youth team and we are not pinning our hopes on the trophy. Instead We are grooming them for the future,” Bangladesh’s Dutch coach Rene Koster said on Friday. “That however does not mean we will not look to win the match.” He added that his aim was to nurture the Bangladeshi youth into the Dutch style.

Nepal’s coach Bal Gopal Maharjan too hopes to produce future stars from his youth team. “We have groomed the boys for the last two years in such a way that they will fill the void of the stars in the national team in future,” Maharjan said. He believes there is both pressure and advantage playing at home ground and he hopes his boys will use the home support positively.

 Likewise, power house in South Asia, India too are not putting priority on winning the championship. At the grass root level they are putting their effort on developing the players.

India’s coach Goutam Gosh said they were concentrating on future and taking this tournament only as a good exposure for his boys. “I want my boys to be good enough to play in Europe when they grow up. For that they need exposure which the championship will prove us,” Gosh said.

His plan is to monitor his boy’s performance and find out solution to their weakness.

Sri Lanka’s manager Samna Kotage too said that they were looking forwarding to gain experience in the championship