Bara, April 7:  Machhindra Football Club has advanced to the semifinals of the 15th Jeetpursimra Gold Cup after defeating former champions Nepal Police Club in a thrilling penalty shootout. The match, played under floodlights at Simra Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw in regulation time, leading to a tense tiebreaker where Machhindra emerged victorious with a 4-3 score.

Goalkeeper Vishal Sunar was the standout performer for Machhindra, making crucial saves throughout the match and during the shootout. He was later named Man of the Match and received a cash prize of Rs 10,000, presented by Sandeep Gupta of Sipradi Trading Birgunj and Shailesh Sahle of Green Energy. His decisive save of Arun Gaha’s penalty sealed Machhindra’s win and earned him widespread applause from the crowd.

Nepal Police Club had taken the lead early in the second half when Bibek Pandey converted a brilliant 25-yard free kick after Resin Subbale fouled Prajwal Chaudhary outside the box. However, Machhindra responded in the 61st minute through Rajiv Lopchan, who capitalized on a short pass from Anil Rana Magar inside a crowded penalty area.

The rest of the match was filled with high tension and missed chances from both sides. Machhindra’s Ashish Shrestha and goalkeeper Vishal Sunar were instrumental in denying several Police attempts, while Machhindra’s Anil Khadka and Police’s Pravin Thapa also came close to scoring in the final minutes. Around 7,000 spectators witnessed the drama unfold in an electric atmosphere.

The win means Machhindra will face the winner of the final quarter-final match between Himalayan Sherpa and Friends Club, scheduled for Monday.