Football
Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and Bagmati Province made a winning start to their campaign in the men’s football competition under the ninth National Games on Thursday.
The first day of the football competition in Pokhara saw both sides post an identical 2-0 victory, as the NRA beat Province 1 and Bagmati got the better of Madhesh Pradesh.
The opening match was delayed by two hours after Province 1 declined to take to the field, protesting that the NRNA fielded several ineligible players on their team. According to Province 1 camp, the NRNA had included as many as eight Nepal-based players in violation of the competition rules.
Province 1 agreed for the start at Gosteghat football ground after the organisers suggested that they lodge an official protest after the game.
The NRNA won the match on the back of strikes from Nepal internationals Sanjog Rai and Bimal Gharti Magar. Province 1 lodged a protest against the NRNA with the Games’ football coordinator on Thursday evening.
Province 1 has demanded the Games’ tournament coordinator reverse the match result in their favour, claiming that the NRNA fielded Anant Tamang, Pujan Uparkoti, Sujal Shrestha, Sanjog Rai, Bimal Ghartimar, Vishal Rai, Ishan Khadka and Ashok Khawas in breach of the competition regulations.
The competition rules stipulate that only those players who have lived abroad for at least 180 days are eligible to play for the NRNA. Ironically enough, most of the players in question are from Province 1. The players claimed they had accepted an offer to play for the NRNA as their province overlooked them by keeping them out of the selection.
The second match was shortened to 70 minutes due to the delay caused by the previous match.
There was little to choose between Bagmati and Madhesh in the opening half, which ended scoreless.
Bagmati Pradesh turned up the heat when the game resumed. In the 39th minute, Sunil Bal found the back of the Madhesh net for a 1-0 lead.
Six minutes on, Bagmati doubled their lead when Anjan Bista converted from the spot to seal their 2-0 victory.
On Friday, Lumbini Pradesh meet Tribhuwan Army Club in the opening match, which will be followed by a Sudurpaschim v Karnali tie.
