Lalitpur City FC Clinches Nepal Super League Title in Thrilling Final Showdown

Lalitpur City FC emerged victorious in the second edition of the Nepal Super League (NSL), claiming the title in their debut appearance in the final. The high-stakes match saw Lalitpur City FC triumph over former champions Dhangadhi FC with a scoreline of 3-2.

Last season, Lalitpur City FC’s journey was cut short in the eliminator, but this year, they not only secured a spot in the final but also clinched the coveted title. Dhangadhi FC, playing in the final for the second consecutive year, had to settle for the runner-up position once again.

With the title, Lalitpur City FC bagged a substantial prize of 70 lakh rupees, while the runners-up, Dhangadhi FC, received 20 lakh rupees.

In the league stage, Dhangadhi FC, finishing second in the points table during the qualifiers, advanced to the final by defeating Pokhara Thunders FC 4-3 in a nail-biting tiebreaker. Lalitpur City FC, on the other hand, secured a place in the final by overcoming the previous champions Kathmandu Razors with a convincing 3-0 victory in the eliminator. They continued their winning streak by beating Pokhara Thunders FC 2-1 in the second qualifier.

Lalitpur City FC faced challenges in the league stage to reach the playoffs but displayed resilience by defeating former champions in the eliminator and former runners-up in the final.

The turning point of the game came in injury time when Hijaji scored for Dhangadhi, narrowing the gap to 3-2, but it was not enough for a comeback.

The 13th minute witnessed Kamal Shrestha’s corner, which directly reached Lalitpur’s goalkeeper Geoffrey Willy Marcel. In the 16th minute, Ahmad Hijaji’s advancement was thwarted by Lalitpur’s defender. The 35th minute saw Dinesh Heinzen’s free kick missing the mark, denying Lalitpur the chance to take the lead.

Dhangadhi took the lead in the 38th minute when Aditya Chaudhary’s shot was controlled by Ahmed Hijaji, heading it into the post after Lalitpur’s goalkeeper Geoffrey Willy Marcel failed to control the ball.

Lalitpur made a comeback in injury time in the first half as Imo Ezeki’s free kick was converted into a goal, leveling the score.

The second half saw Lalitpur doubling the lead in the 50th minute, with Aditya Shakya’s cross setting up Dinesh Henjan for a splendid goal. In the 53rd minute, Hijaji’s shot was easily saved by Lalitpur’s goalkeeper.

In the 58th minute, Imo Ezeki extended Lalitpur’s lead to 3-1. Dhangadhi faced a setback in the 78th minute as defender Richard Ose received a double yellow card, reducing the team to 10 players.

Dhangadhi managed to score one goal in extra time, with the 97th minute seeing a late addition to their tally. Despite their efforts, Lalitpur City FC held on to secure the title in a thrilling final showdown.