The first edition of the Sabhapati Cup Football Championship has come to a thrilling end, with Sankata FC winning the title. They defeated NDSU Bagmati, the host team, 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 0-0 in regular time. The final was held at Tripureshwor’s Dasarath Stadium.
The match went into penalties after a goalless 90 minutes. NDSU Bagmati’s goalkeeper, Bikesh Kuthu, made a great start by saving Sankata’s first two penalties. However, Sankata FC turned the game around as players Lachhu Thapa Magar, Sam Carlos, Deep Karki, and Sunil Khadka scored in the shootout.
Deep Karki, the goalkeeper for Sankata FC, was crucial in their win, saving penalties from Bagmati’s Kuldip Karki and Gaurav Shrestha. Bagmati’s Rajat Tiwari also missed his penalty, shooting wide of the post. Both teams struggled with finishing during regular time, which ended without goals.
Sankata FC, as the champions, received a cash prize of NPR 2.6 million, while NDSU Bagmati, the runners-up, earned NPR 1.3 million.
Individual awards were given to some standout players:
- Best Goalkeeper: Bikesh Kuthu from Bagmati won NPR 50,000 for his great performance in goal.
- Most Valuable Player (MVP): Deep Karki of Sankata FC was named MVP and received NPR 75,000.
- Emerging Player: Sandeep Karki was recognized with the Emerging Player award and a cash prize of NPR 25,000.
The first edition of the Sabhapati Cup was a huge success, and it shows the growing talent in Nepali football. Fans are looking forward to future tournaments!
