Jhapa 11 Football Club has secured a spot in the final of the Bhadrapur Jhapa Gold Cup International Invitational Knockout Football Tournament. With this victory, they will now face the host team, Bhadrapur Blazers, in the final match scheduled for Friday. By reaching the final, Jhapa 11 has already guaranteed a minimum cash prize of seven lakh rupees.
In the last semifinal match held at the Mechi Stadium in Bhadrapur, Jhapa 11 defeated Bhutan’s Daga United FC with a 3-1 victory. The match remained tied at 1-1 until the 90th minute, but Jhapa 11 took control in injury time to seal the win. With strong support from home fans, Jhapa 11 took the lead in the 55th minute when Aaron Thapa fired a powerful free-kick from 25 yards. Bhutanese goalkeeper Rupak attempted to punch the ball away but failed, allowing it to find the back of the net. The free-kick was awarded after Bhutan’s Suraj Rasaily fouled Aaron Thapa.
In the 84th minute, Bhutan managed to equalize through Suraj Rasaily, who dribbled past two defenders and slotted the ball into the net. However, in extra time, Rohan Karki restored Jhapa’s lead by capitalizing on a mistake by Bhutan’s goalkeeper. Midfielder Alan Thapa’s shot was mishandled, and Karki made no mistake in putting the ball into the net. Later, Hari Bahadur Ale Magar secured the victory by scoring the third goal after utilizing a cross-pass from Samir Tamang.
Earlier in the match, Bhutan had several opportunities but failed to convert them. In the second minute, Jhapa’s goalkeeper Sandip Limbu denied a shot from Bhutan’s Lakpa Phakrin. Similarly, in the 17th minute, he punched away a powerful strike from Tushar BK. Bhutan missed another golden opportunity in the 14th minute when Hemraj Bhujel’s shot hit the crossbar. Jhapa also had their chances, with Samir Tamang missing inside the penalty area in the 37th minute, and Bhabin Bohora’s shot going just wide in the 68th minute. In the 83rd minute, Aaron Thapa’s shot from Samir Tamang’s cross was saved by Bhutan’s goalkeeper Rupak.
Aaron Thapa was named the Player of the Match and received a cash prize of 21,000 rupees along with a trophy. During the post-match conference, Jhapa’s assistant coach Santosh Gurung stated that the team’s consistent performance led to a comfortable victory against Bhutan. He also mentioned that as Jhapa is preparing for the B Division League, defeating strong teams like Machhindra and Church Boys has boosted the players’ confidence.
Bhutan’s coach Dorji Khandu admitted that the match was highly competitive but blamed the loss on goalkeeping errors. He also noted that some key players were absent as they had participated in the KP Oli Cup, affecting their team’s performance.
The final match of the Bhadrapur Jhapa Gold Cup will be held on March 16. According to tournament secretary Tirtha Raj Dhakal, the champion will receive a cash prize of 13 lakh rupees, a prestigious trophy, and medals, while the runner-up will be awarded seven lakh rupees along with a trophy and medals. The Player of the Tournament will be rewarded with a cash prize of one lakh five thousand rupees.
