Pokhara’s air crackled with anticipation tonight as Jawalakhel Youth Club snatched a dramatic semi-final berth from Manang’s grasp in a penalty shootout spectacle that had the crowd gasping till the final kick.
After 120 minutes of relentless pressure, the scoreboard remained locked at 1-1, a scoreline that hardly reflected the pulsating rhythm of the match. Both defences stood resolute, repelling waves of attacks and thwarting gilt-edged chances with inch-perfect tackles and acrobatic saves.
Hisub Thapalia sent the Jawalakhel faithful into delirium in the 55th minute, his clinical finish finding the bottom corner after a slick exchange with Sudeep Shrestha. But Manang, refusing to surrender their Pokhara gold cup dream, roared back through Rajesh Pariyar’s late equalizer in the 89th minute, a dramatic finish that sent the game into extra time.

Nirajan Dhami nearly settled the tie with a physics-defying overhead kick that cannoned off the crossbar in the 72nd minute, just a glimpse of the attacking fireworks on display. Bishal Tamang’s captain’s free-kick was another agonizing near-miss for Jawalakhel.
As the penalty shootout unfolded, nerves frayed, and tension thickened. Eight penalties came and went, each sending shivers down spines and sparking eruptions of joy. Then, in the ninth round, it all hinged on Yunesh Chaudhary. The young Jawalakhel custodian, with nerves of steel, dived to his right to deny Randeep Paudel, sending the Pokhara sky alight with Jawalakhel cheers.

Jawalakhel now march on, their fairytale Pokhara gold cup run, defying expectations and leaving Manang heartbroken. Pokhara witnessed not just a football match but a battle of wills, a display of resilience, and ultimately, a triumph of nerve in the face of immense pressure.