Nepal League Champion Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) proved that nothing is impossible in football as they played miraculous football beating tournament favorites FC Vakhsh from Tajikistan 3-1 in Kuching, Malaysia making the group wide open to enter final round.
A brilliantly taken goal from striker Anil Gurung put MMC ahead in the 20th minute when Tajik goalie Aslidin Khabibulloev failed to gather a powerfully taken Nirajan Khadka’s drive inside the D-box. Unmarked Anil guided the rebound towards its destination to keep alive Manang’s hope in the tournament. It was the first goal for MMC in the tournament.
Earlier, Rajkumar Ghising squandered a great chance in the 13th minute when he failed to connect a brilliant Nabin Neupane cross inside the 6-yard box. Then Tashi Tsering rescued MMC in the 38th minute when Akhtam Karmrakulov was in one-versus-one against goalie Razak.
Unlike its first match against Ratnam Sports Club, Vakhsh tested the MMC defense only in the later part of the second half.
In the defensive second half, goalkeeper Sangeet Razak denied the Tajiks twice with acrobatic saves. Manang doubled the lead in the 59th minute through former Nepali international Basanta Gauchan who received a brilliant pass from Nabin Neupane inside the penalty area. The Tajiks pulled one back in the 80th minute through Nazirshoh Rizomov header from Akmal Sabourov’s pass but Khum Gurung ensured all three points for Manang striking in injury time on a pass from Anil Gurung.
“We played nice football and were duly rewarded,” coach Chirring Lopsang said. “We had even played good football against Ratnam but the day did not belong to us as our strikers were misfiring, but today was a different story. “We banked ourselves on short passes and man-to-man marking and our strategy worked duly,” he said.
His compatriot Uraz Turaqulov hailed Manang’s way of short passes and cunning football and accused hectic schedule behind the loss. “We gave our best against Dordoi and today players were tired. Hopefully the story wont repeat in the match against Sri Lanka.”
Nepal will now take on Dordoi Dynamo-eventual runners-up of first AFC President’s Cup edition-on Monday. The game will be like winner-all-takes-home.