Three-Star lifts 34th All India Governor’s Gold Cup

REBYNA RANA

GANGTOK, 22 Nov: Three Star [Nepal] today lifted the 34th All India Governor’s Gold Cup Football Tournament 2013 beating another Nepal team, Manang Marshyangdi Club in the final match played at Paljor Stadium. Three-Star won the match 3-1. Last year, the club had lost to BSF Jalandhar in the finals of the tournament. This is the second time that 3-Star has lifted the Gold Cup in Sikkim, having also won the tournament in 2008 when it beat Army XI in the finals.

Today, Three Star’s Santosh Sahakhula [09] scored the first goal in the 26th minute. Two minutes later, Bikram Lama [19] extended the lead.

In the second half, Jagjit Shreshtha sealed the victory for Three Star with the third goal in the 80th minute of the match. In the dying minutes of the match, MMC managed to find the net with its Sulav Maskey [21] scoring the face-saver.

Three Star Nepal’s Jagjit Shrestha was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ while Royal Wahingdoh Shillong’s Satyinder Singh was declared ‘Most Promising Player’ of the tournament. 

Speaking on winning the tournament, Three Star Nepal’s coach, Ajan KC said, “For us, it is a boon from heaven to win this year’s Gold Cup. All the effort that we put in has finally borne fruit and the credit goes to the entire team”.

Runners-up Manang Marshyangdi Club’s coach said, “Winning and losing are part of the game. There is always next time.” He said that he has been visiting Sikkim since 2005 but this is the first time that he is in the state as a coach.

Three Star Nepal team captain, Santosh Sahakhula expressed his happiness over today’s win. “I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life. The hospitality of the people of Sikkim has really touched my heart. I have come to Sikkim a couple of times before and have played in the Governor’s Gold Cup earlier as well”, shared Sahakhula. 

Both, Coach and Captain of the winning team have expressed gratitude to the fans of Sikkim for their support since the start of the tournament.

Certificates, medals, trophies and mementoes were also handed over to the winners and runners-up by Governor Shriniwas Patil, who was accompanied to the final match by Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, Speaker KT Gyaltsen and Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Department, NK Pradhan.

Also present were officials from the concerned department, members from SFA and the general public as well

NEPAL IN THE GOVERNOR’S GOLD CUP

·         This is the second time that Three Star Nepal has won the tournament.

·         The club had won the tournament in 2008 as well where it had defeated Army XI in the finals.

·         Including this year, this is the fourth time that Three Star has reached the finals of the Governor’s Gold Cup [2007, 2008, 2012, 2013].

·         On the other hand, this is the first time that MMC has reached the Gold Cup finals.

·         This is the second all-Nepal final that the tournament has witnessed. The first all Nepal final was in 2007 where NRT Nepal defeated Three Star Nepal.

·         Three Star is the second team from Nepal to win the Gold Cup twice. ANFA XI won the tournament in 1997 and 1998.

·         RNAC Nepal won the tournament in 1990.

·         JCF Nepal won the tournament in 1988.