Rishi Rai scored match winning goal through an excellent header to provide hosts Dharan FC Red a hard-earned 1-0 victory against UKFC, Darjeeling to enter quarterfinal in the 9th Buddha Subba Gold Cup football tournament here in Dharan.

UKFC, Darjeeling, who was called in the place of WDSA, Sikkim, had succeeded to lock horns with the host team in the early hours and enjoyed the lemon break with 0-0 draw.

UKFC had to change regular goalie Noble Gurung due to a thigh injury and substitute goalie Bickey Chhetri replaced him.

After the lemon break, Dharan FC could have opened the account but Raju Rai missed a golden chance shooting wide from the 6-yard-box on a cross from Rishi Rai. Dharan, who assembled two MMCians; Sagar Thapa and NabinNeuapne, along with five Machhindra energizer FC players, couldn’tperform as per expectation. However, they played solid game in the secondhalf with short passes.

UKFC had a great chance of leveling the score in the last hours but William Pradhan’s curling free kick was well saved by goalie Kiran Chemzong.

On Saturday, African United Club will take on Thimpu XI, Bhutan.