Church Boys United, the reigning champions of the Nepali league, were eliminated from the AFC Challenge League today after a 2-1 defeat by Paro FC from Bhutan. The match took place at Dashrath Stadium in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. Paro FC’s victory in the playoffs secures their spot in the group stage of the League.
This win is a significant achievement for Paro FC, especially after their disappointing exit in the previous season, where they lost 3-2 to Machhindra Club in the first round of the AFC Cup.
The group stage matches for the AFC Challenge League are scheduled for October 26 and November 2, with teams set to play on a home-and-away basis. Paro FC’s advancement marks a new chapter in their journey, as they look to build on this success in the upcoming matches.
Church Boys took the lead in the 39th minute with Laken Limbu finishing off a perfect cross from Moses Gyabaah Twum.
However, the celebrations were short-lived as an unmarked Wangchu capitalized on poor goalkeeping to equalize for Paro.
After the break, Church Boys pressed hard, with Anjan Bista and Sanish Shrestha coming close to scoring. But Paro turned the game around when Ghanian Opoku, benefiting from a defensive error, fired into the bottom corner.
Despite a late push, Church Boys couldn’t find an equalizer, ending their hopes of advancing in their debut season.