By Sachit Subba • Football • Feb 14, 2026 16:34 PM • 61 views
BIRTAMOD — In a display of clinical finishing and tactical dominance, Machhindra Football Club surged into the finals of the Jhapa Gold Cup, handing a crushing 4-0 defeat to the four-time champions, Tribhuvan Army FC.
The protagonist of the afternoon was foreign recruit Jonathan Zorilla, whose masterclass in front of the goal secured a hat-trick and left the Army defence in tatters. Machhindra is now set to face APF Football Club in a high-stakes final for the title.
Clinical Early Dominance
Machhindra wasted no time asserting its authority. Just four minutes into the match, Zorilla silenced the Army supporters by converting a crisp cross from Ayola Hamzat. Left unmarked in the penalty area, the striker needed only a single touch to find the back of the net.
The pressure mounted in the 24th minute when Machhindra was awarded a penalty following a handball inside the box during a Zorilla free-kick. The striker stepped up himself, coolly slotting the ball home to double the lead and put the title favourites on the back foot.
The Second Half Surge
Trailing 2-0 at the interval, Tribhuvan Army failed to find its rhythm, and Machhindra capitalised. In the 52nd minute, a defensive lapse allowed Pradip Budhathoki to tee up Zorilla inside the box. The striker made no mistake, completing his hat-trick and effectively ending the contest.
The rout was completed in stoppage time by substitute Rejin Subba. Picking up the ball in midfield, Subba danced past two defenders in a brilliant solo run before clinical finishing made it 4-0.
While the scoreline was emphatic, Machhindra could have easily had more; Saurav Limbu and Abhishek Syangtan both missed clear-cut opportunities to further widen the margin.
A Night to Forget for the Army
It was a rare off-day for the "Departmental" side. Their best chance came early in the 9th minute, but Nabin Lama’s free header sailed over the crossbar. Later, in the 70th minute, Dinesh Henjan found space inside the box but failed to capitalise, summarising a frustrating evening for the four-time winners.
Unsurprisingly, Jonathan Zorilla was named 'Player of the Match' for his hat-trick heroics, earning a cash prize of रू 25,000, sponsored by US-based Roshan Lal Shrestha and his colleagues.
Tournament Stakes
The road to the trophy concludes on Falgun 4, with the winners set to take home रू 1.5 million and the runners-up receiving रू 750,000. Beyond the team glory, individual accolades are also up for grabs:
Most Valuable Player: A Yamaha motorcycle.
Best Coach, High Scorer, & Best Goalkeeper: रू 35,000 each.
The organisers have also kept the fans engaged with daily lucky draws for televisions and a grand prize of a Yamaha scooter to be awarded after the final whistle.
