Laxmi Bank Three Star Club was held to 1-1 draw by Abahani Limited of Bangladesh on Tuesday in the opening day of group A qualifiers for AFC President’s Cup that saw its new signing Jagjeet Shrestha first turn hero and then founder at the Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu.
Shrestha, new recruit from Friends Club, gave home team Three Star early 15th minute lead with a miraculous free kick but he missed the penalty in the second half as the visiting side had leveled score before the interval.
The result meant that all four teams have one point apiece after their first match which saw Taiwan Power Company (TPC) of Chinese Taipei held to 0-0 in the kick off. Shrestha, new recruit from Friends Club, gave home team Three Star early 15th minute lead with a miraculous free kick but he missed the penalty in the second half as the visiting side had leveled score before the interval.
Three Star, which came up without some of its key players including Nepali international defender Biraj Maharjan, midfielder Nirajan Khadka and Bijay Gurung due to injuries, will meet Erchim and Abahani lock horns against TPC on Thursday.
Three Star looked strong against the visitors as it created more than half a dozen chances, but poor finishing kept dogging the Nepali team. Three Star also conceded equalizer through own goal but the match commissioner awarded it to Tahidul of Abahani.
“We conceded a silly goal due to lack of communication among players despite keeping opponents under pressure throughout the match,” said Anjan KC one of the two coaches of Three Star during the post match conference. Three Star defender Sandip Rai echoed KC. “The ball had entered the net after slight deflection at my feet as we failed to make proper communication.”
Abahani scored the equalizer utilizing its best chance in the 38th minute. Tahidul’s cross from the left side entered the net following deflection at Rai in the six yard box studded by as many as three defenders of home team against only one of Abahani.
Abahani’s Iranian coach Ardeshir Pour Nemat Noudehi opined that the match was difficult for his side. “It was very difficult match and I am satisfied with the result,” said Noudehi adding, that first match is always difficult.
He also praised Three Star. “The opponent was tactically good and changed the cross pattern from left to right side in the second half after tight marking,” Noudehi said.
Earlier, Shrestha had given lead to Three Star with a free kick taken from 25 yards to send the ball at right top stunning Bangladeshi custodian Sohel.
Shrestha could have restored the lead for Three Star but custodian Sohel made a diving save to deny the loose penalty awarded in the 70th minute following a foul on Prakash Budathoki in the danger zone by Samnick.
Three Star’s Sierra Leonean forward Adewumi Femi missed a couple of scoring chances in one-versus-one situations. In the 31st minute, Femi failed to beat Sohil from close range with the goalie on his way. In the stoppage time as well, Femi was denied in similar fashion by goalie, who collected the ball out of defensive error of Samnick. In the 67th, Femi headed above bar in Budathoki’s cross.
In the 34th, Sohel caug a free header of skipper Santosh Sahukhala, who was replaced by Yogesh Gurung in the 56th. Three minutes before the interval, Sahukhala and defender Rai both failed to connect a free kick taken by Shrestha in the six-yard box.
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