In a thrilling encounter at the Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar on Saturday, Jhapa FC faced a tense moment against Pokhara Thunders in the second edition of the ongoing Nepal Super League (NSL). The match, which seemed destined for a loss, took an unexpected turn when Samander Okilov secured a dramatic injury-time goal and denied a loss to a level.
The first half of the game promised to be decisive, but Jhapa managed to level the score just in the nick of time. This crucial goal secured a draw for the newcomers and prevented them from facing their second consecutive defeat in the league.

Despite the draw, Pokhara missed a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the league table. Having previously defeated FC Chitwan 1-0 and played a goalless draw against Lalitpur City FC, Pokhara’s aspirations took a hit with this unexpected outcome. Meanwhile, Jhapa, after a 1-0 loss to Ilam in their first match, currently holds the seventh position with one point.
The match’s turning point occurred in the 18th minute when Moses Gaba Toome scored a beautiful header for Pokhara, taking the lead. However, the game saw numerous near misses and opportunities for both sides. Pokhara’s goalkeeper saved Anjan Bista’s header for Jhapa in the 56th minute, and an injury scare followed when Anjan collided with the opposing defender, Padam Bista, during the header. Fortunately, he returned to the field after receiving medical attention.
As the match progressed, Pokhara faced challenges, with Jorge Sanchez’s forward shot going wide in the 72nd minute. Moses had a chance to seal the win for Pokhara in the 81st minute but couldn’t convert the opportunity, with Jhapa goalkeeper Stefan Cupic making a crucial save.

In a dramatic twist, Pokhara was reduced to 10 players when midfielder Kamal Bahadur Thapa received a double yellow card in the final minutes of the scheduled time. The defining moment came in the last seconds of injury time when Priso, the Pokhara goalkeeper, saved a shot from the iconic player Abhash Lamichhane. However, Okilov seized the rebound ball with a single touch, securing a point divider for Jhapa.
Looking ahead, the day’s second match features former runner-up Dhangadhi FC against Lalitpur, scheduled to kick off at 5:30 PM. Fans can anticipate another exciting clash as the Nepal Super League unfolds.