Banke thump Chitwan; Rupandehi pip Sunsari

DIWAKAR BHANDARI

SIMARA: Skipper Laxmi Thapa and Nirmala Upadhyaya scored hat-tricks as Banke thrashed Chitwan 10-1, while Rupandehi edged past Sunsari 1-0 in the 14th National Ncell Women’s Football Championships here today.

Apart from Laxmi and Nirmala, Sumitra Lamichhane scored a brace, while Nanu Khatri and Bhadrakala BK struck one each to steer Banke in to the last 16. They will play Rupandehi next here on Sunday.

Banke took a third minute lead with Nanu converting a 20-yard freekick.

Skipper Laxmi doubled the tally in the 25th minute capitalising a pass from Bhadrakala. The latter joined in the goal-scoring rampage netting third for the team in the 35th minute, while Nirmala made it 4-0 utilising a defensive blunder from Chitwan players three minutes later. Banke went to the break with a comprehensive 5-0 lead with Sumitra adding another before the interval.

Chitwan were a better side in the second half but suffered a humiliating defeat due to the poor defensive work. Banke, on the other hand, started the second half on a high. Laxmi made it 6-0 four minutes after resumption and the skipper completed her hat-trick in the 79th minute.

Nirmala struck twice within three minutes (80, 83) to complete her own hat-trick, while Sumitra scored her second individual four minutes before final whistle. Skipper Rojina Lama pulled back a consolation goal for Chitwan in the 65th minute.

Earlier, Anjana Shrestha scored a late winner as Rupandehi laboured to a 1-0 victory over Sunsari. Both the teams squandered quite a few goal scoring opportunities before Anjana netted the decider in the 84th minute. Kaski will take on Sarlahi in Wednesday’s match in Simara.

In Chandranigahapur, Dolakha beat Bardiya 2-0

on goals from Kanchan Rana Magar and Urusha Tamang. Kanchan put Dolakha ahead in the third minute before Urusha doubled the tally

in the 44th minute. Dhanusha are up against Panchthar in Chandranigahapur on Wednesday.