TC Sports Club beat South Korea’s Pocheon Citizen FC in the final match of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup on Friday, making history as the first local club to win the title in an international tournament.
TC was crowned the champions following a 4-2 win over the South Korean team in tiebreakers after the regulation time and extra time ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
TC’s goalkeeper, Nepalese Limbu Kiran Kumar was the hero of the match, having saved two shots from the Pocheon players.
TC successfully converted all four shots.
TC took the lead in the game, at the 17th minute as Hanif Abdulla scored the first goal of the game. However, Pocheon strikers Jang Yong IK and Ji Kyeong Deuk turned the game around, with goals in the 44th and 55th minute of the game.
However, midfielder Azzam Mohamed- man of the final match- equalized the score at the 83rd minute, sending the game to over-time.
Head coach Mohamed “Nizambe” Nizam told reporters that he had been “fully confident” about their goalkeeper, and that he had “selected the right footballers, who converted all shots.”
Nizam said that he was really happy to win the title, “which is also the first international trophy for a Maldivian club.”
Winners of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup wins US$ 30,000, while second placed team gets US$ 15,000. Winners of every match will receive a pay of US$ 1,000 and player of the tournament receives a prize of US$ 500.
