SATV 3 April, Kathmandu: Defending champions Lalitpur City FC edged Pokhara Thunders FC 3-2 to secure their first win of the Nepal Super League 2025.

Jonathan Cantillana scored a brace, while Imoh Ezekiel added one for Lalitpur's triumph. Samir Tamang and Joe Aidoo found the net for Pokhara. This marked Pokhara’s second loss of the season.

Lalitpur drew first blood in the 10th minute, as Jonathan Cantillana’s curling corner deflected off Pokhara's keeper Guillaume Yves Priso’s leg and nestled into the net.

Pokhara leveled in the 42nd minute. Ayush Ghalan chipped in a well-placed cross, and Nawayug Shrestha headed it towards goal. Although the keeper managed to punch it away, Samir Tamang was on hand to fire home the rebound.

Lalitpur restored their lead in first-half injury time (45+2). Jonathan delivered a precise lob from near midfield, and Imoh Ezekiel, unmarked in the box, capitalized on the keeper’s poor positioning. Imoh slotted the ball cleanly between the posts with a composed left-footed finish.

Pokhara had their chances in the second half, but Lalitpur’s defense and keeper Jeffery Willy Marcel Baltus stood firm. Stephen Binong’s free kick in the 51st minute and Ayush Ghalan’s corner five minutes later were comfortably dealt with by Jeffery.

Jonathan extended Lalitpur's advantage to 3-1 in the 75th minute. Sanish Shrestha outpaced the Pokhara defense to provide a cutback for Jonathan, who smashed the ball into the post and beyond the line.

Ananta Tamang came close to adding a fourth in the 79th minute. His header from Jonathan's corner was brilliantly cleared off the line by Joe Aidoo.

Pokhara pressed hard but were frustrated again in the 81st minute when Sudil Rai's shot rattled the crossbar. Keeper Jeffery managed to gather the ball before it crossed the line, despite heated appeals from Pokhara players and officials that caused a six-minute disruption.

Pokhara reduced the deficit in the 90+10th minute, as Joe Aidoo hammered Samir Tamang's cutback into the net from the edge of the box.

Lalitpur City previously shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Kathmandu Rayzrs, while Pokhara suffered a 2-0 defeat to Chitwan FC in their opening match this season.

In their last three meetings over the past two seasons, Lalitpur had won once, with the other two matches ending in stalemates.