A date with Birat Gold Cup

After a gap of nearly twenty years I finally got the opportunity to witness the final game of  Birat Gold Cup in Biratnagar.

I felt nostalgic as I made my way into the jam packed Shahid Maidan with  two of my old buddies Dipak Rai and Manohar Dewan. I was overwhelmed with joy to be back at the venue where I watched countless matches.

Back then it was Mahendra Gold Cup,one of the biggest  marquee tournaments in the country.The tourney attracted the  best of the best teams in the country and top notch teams from India and Bhutan, as well.

Not only was the tourney well received  in the entire eastern belt but  got football goers into a  frenzy. Unfortunately ,the  tournament was  discontinued due to lack of funds. 

After long hiatus, the  football crazed city of Biratnagar  was finally presented with 

Birat Gold Cup through the initiative of Birat Gold Cup Trustee.

Now in its fourth edition, Birat Gold Cup is slowly gaining grounds.However, it has a very long way to go to match  Mahendra Gold Cup's status.

The six thousand plus capacity Shahid Maidan was crammed with passionate, enthusiastic  local  and out of town football goers. Every vantage point,including roof tops  of tall buildings overlooking the historical venue was jammed with people,trying to get a  telescopic view of the game. 

The atmosphere was electrifying and festive. Outside the stadium,the scene was somewhat chaotic.Those arriving late for the game frantically tried to get inside,the streets were flooded with people of all walks of life and  every available parking 

space was occupied.

Firm favourites  Nepal Army looking for their  fifth  domestic trophy   was pitted against crowd favourites  Jhapa XI. 

The army outfit making a strong comeback to domestic football enjoyed  a slight edge over the talented and youthful  side from Jhapa.

Following their impressive win over Nepal Police , Jhapa XI increased their chances of beating the physically formidable departmental side.

They did not disappoint. They lived up to their expectations,made the most of their chances in the opening thirty minutes , gallantly withstood the opponent's second half onslaught and cornered glory ultimately.  I enjoyed every bit of the action that was engrossing, exciting all the way to the end.

As a Jhapali myself,  the final outcome was exactly what I had looked forward to. Some of the talents in the likes of Karna Limbu and Bishal Rai  deserve a place in the national team. 

The re-emergence of Jhapa XI, consisting mostly of local talents on the national scene in a pretty big  way  has been the biggest storyline in Nepali football. They surprised many by winning the inaugural Nepal Cup last year in Kathmandu.

Some skeptics even went far  as to say that it was a fluke.  The Jhapalis under veteran coach  Bhagirath Ale or  Mama (popularly known)  proved their doubters wrong by winning the final of the Birat Gold Cup that featured the very best clubs of the country.

Now it is fair to say that Jhapa XI is gradually becoming  a force to be reckoned with in Nepali football.

Looking back at Birat Gold Cup, it is important to raise some pertinent questions that are reflective of the overall football situation in the country.

Firstly, the playing surface  was in dreadful condition,putting players at risk of serious injuries. Clearly, no efforts were taken to ensure the safety  of players. All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)  did not object   to the spotty,uneven  pitch that was almost unplayable. 

Secondly, there is  need for a proper  stadium for top level football. It is hard to believe  that a city like Biratnagar home to some of the richest industrialists in the country does not even have an international stadium.

Morang  District Football Association and ANFA have done absolutely nothing to get a stadium built in Biratnagar and improve infrastructure. 

The scheduling of domestic tournaments  by ANFA is a  big disaster.Tournaments across the country have been literally lined up with  teams having to play non stop in a short span of time without  much rest,and it has taken a heavy  toll on the players.

Lastly, Birat Gold Cup was well organized and drew an impressive crowd.