KATHMANDU, Nov 9: Top tier Nepali team Three Star Club reached the final of the 33rd Governor´s Gold Cup football tournament in Sikkim, India as Anil Ojha put up a brilliant performance in the semifinal against second tier Indian club Bhawanipore FC on Friday. Three Star defeated Bhawanipur 2-1 as Ojha scored the brace for the Nepali team.
Three Star will take on the winner between Mohun Bagan and BFC Club in the final on Sunday.
Ojha scored the spectacular first goal from the right flank in the seventh minute but Bhawanipore FC leveled the score in the 82nd minute. Nobin Hela equalized the score in a counter move.
The match was heading towards a draw but Ojha sealed the victory in the third minute of the injury time. Ojha scored with his perfect shot from close range utilizing a selfless pass off Yogesh Gurung.
Both Three Star and Bhawanipore finished with 10 men as referee sent off Three Star forward Santosh Sahukhala and Lima of Bhawanipore following a heated argument in the 73rd minute. As Lima challenged Sahukhala, infuriated Sahukhala used foul words, which prompted referee to send off both the players.
"Santosh (Sahukhala) should have maintained his cool. He should have appealed referee instead of showing frustration on the field," said Three Star coach Pradeep Humagain. Sahukhala will miss the final because of the sending off.
"His absence could be costly for us but we are hopeful that we would put up a good show in the final after studying our opponents in the next semifinal," he added.
"We are here to win the title and we are improving in every match," said Humagain.
Three Star had defeated I-league club Sikkim United 2-1 in the quarterfinal on Wednesday as Sahukhala scored two goals in the dying minutes of the match.
Three Star had clinched the title in Sikkim in 2008 and finished as runner-up in 2007.
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