Machhindra Edge Past Malaysia’s N Penang FC to Secure Semifinal Berth
BIRTAMODE – In a high-stakes encounter defined by tactical pressure and clinical finishing, Machhindra Football Club—bolstered by a roster of national stars—narrowly defeated Malaysia’s N Penang FC 2-1 to punch their ticket to the semifinals. The victory sets up a mouth-watering knockout clash against departmental giants Tribhuvan Army Football Club. While Machhindra dominated the scoreline early on, the match was a tale of two halves. The Nepalese side set the tempo in the first period but found themselves weathering a relentless Malaysian storm in the second half. **Key Match Moments** The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when Sanish Shrestha capitalised on a defensive lapse. After the Penang goalkeeper failed to cleanly gather the ball, Shrestha was clinical, pouncing on the loose leather to give Machhindra the lead. Despite the advantage, Machhindra's composure was tested. In the 35th minute, Pradip Budhathoki missed a golden "one-on-one" opportunity to double the lead, a miss that nearly proved costly when Malaysia’s John Zideina levelled the terms in the 60th minute. Zideina took full advantage of a rare handling error by veteran keeper Bishal Shrestha to restore parity. The deadlock was finally broken in the 80th minute by Machhindra’s foreign recruit, Jonathan Zorrilla. After defender Martin Damilolo lost possession, Zorrilla showed immense class, chipping the keeper to seal the victory. Player of the Match: Jonathan Zorrilla (Machhindra FC). Zorrilla’s decisive goal earned him the honours and a cash prize of NPR 25,000.  **A Game of Inches** The final whistle brought relief to the Machhindra camp, as the closing minutes were fraught with tension: * Devendra Tamang nearly made it 3-1 in the 88th minute, but his powerful strike rattled the crossbar. * In stoppage time, N Penang FC came agonisingly close to an equaliser when John Zideina’s shot struck the woodwork and bounced clear. The action continues this Friday with the first semifinal, featuring hosts Jhapa-11 FC against APF Football Club. Fans attending the matches at the stadium also stand a chance to win daily television sets and a grand prize of a Yamaha scooter, courtesy of local sponsors. The grand finale is scheduled for Falgun 4.
