Gaighat Football Club of Udayapur secured a spot in the semifinals of the ongoing Koshi Province Premier League football tournament after winning Group 'B' with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Samrat Sporting Club Morang at Dharan Stadium on Wednesday.

The decisive goal for Gaighat came from Prabin Rai, while goalkeeper Anil Magar was named the 'Man of the Match' for his exceptional performance. Magar, who played a crucial role in safeguarding Gaighat's lead, was awarded a cash prize of Rs 5,000.

With the win, Gaighat topped Group 'B' with 6 points, having previously defeated Library Football Club Bhojpur in their opening match. Samrat Sporting Club, who earned only 3 points, were eliminated from the tournament.

In the Group 'D' match, BUIPA-11 triumphed over Pragatisheel Youth Club Taplejung with a 1-0 scoreline, propelling them to the top of the group. The winning goal was scored by Jeevan Pariyar, and BUIPA's goalkeeper Navin Pokharel was named 'Man of the Match' for his brilliant saves throughout the game. Pokharel also received a cash prize of Rs 5,000.

In a controversial turn of events, the points of both Pragatisheel Youth Club and Dharan Football Club were deducted after a complaint was received about the inclusion of ineligible players. Following this, BUIPA-11 now sits atop Group 'D', while Pragatisheel, who failed to earn any points, has been eliminated. BUIPA-11 will now face Dharan Football Club in their next match. A draw will be enough for BUIPA-11 to claim the top spot in the group, while Dharan Football Club must win by at least 2 goals to secure the group win.

Thursday will see matches in Groups C and A, with Deurali Youth Club from Dhankuta taking on Ilam's Red Horse Club in Group C. In Group A, Sankhuwasabha's Lohorung Football Club faces Panchthar's Panchthar United Football Club in a crucial match to determine the group winner, as it is a two-team group.

Koshi Province Football Association President Kishor Rai confirmed that 11 district league champion clubs are competing in the tournament. The district champion clubs have been divided into four groups, and the group winners will advance to the league final.

The league champion and runner-up teams will gain entry into the inter-provincial league for national league selection. The winners of the league will receive Rs 200,000, the runners-up Rs 150,000, the third-placed team Rs 125,000, and the fourth-placed team Rs 100,000.