Lalitpur City FC Crowned NSL 2025 Champions Again

Lalitpur City FC have claimed the Nepal Super League (NSL) title for the second time in a row! On Saturday at Dasharath Stadium, Lalitpur defeated Pokhara Thunders 2-1 in the grand final, staying unbeaten throughout the third edition of the tournament.

Foreign stars Imoh Ezekiel and Papa Ibou Kebe scored the goals for Lalitpur City FC, while Sudil Rai pulled one back for Pokhara.

Lalitpur City FC: Unbeaten Champions

Lalitpur made history by winning the NSL without losing a single match. They also became the first club to successfully defend their NSL title. Extending their unbeaten streak to 11 matches, Lalitpur remained undefeated in the final three games of the last season and all eight matches this season.

As champions, Lalitpur City FC will receive a cash prize of NPR 8 million, while Pokhara Thunders will take home NPR 3 million as runners-up.

How the Final Unfolded

The match started slowly, but Lalitpur found the breakthrough towards the end of the first half. In the 42nd minute, Imoh Ezekiel scored with a header from a cross by Manoj Rai. Pokhara’s poor clearance led to the chance, and Imoh made no mistake, scoring his third goal of the season.

Interestingly, Imoh had also scored his first goal of the season against Pokhara during the league stage when Lalitpur won 3-2. He also scored against FC Chitwan earlier this season. With this goal, Imoh matched Ahmed Hijazi’s record of most goals (9) in an NSL season.

Before Imoh’s goal, Pokhara’s Stephane Samir Binong had a great chance but failed to score.

Drama in the Second Half

Pokhara equalized in the 63rd minute when Sudil Rai scored after Lalitpur’s goalkeeper Jeffry Baltus failed to properly clear a header from Stephen Samir. Despite Sanish Shrestha’s attempt to block, Sudil calmly slotted the ball into the net.

However, Lalitpur bounced back quickly. In the 74th minute, Papa Ibou Kebe restored their lead. A misclearance by Pokhara handed the ball to Imoh Ezekiel, who crossed into the box. Although Jafarov tried to intercept, he missed, and Kebe controlled the ball and finished brilliantly.

Despite late efforts, Pokhara couldn’t find another equalizer and missed their chance to win their first NSL title.

Lalitpur’s Star Performers

Captain Ananta Tamang, along with Sanish Shrestha, Aditya Shakya, and foreign players Jeffry Baltus, Imoh Ezekiel, and Papa Ibou Kebe, were key in helping Lalitpur win back-to-back titles.

Lalitpur City FC’s Journey to the Title