KATHMANDU: The race for spots in the ANFA Women’s League is heating up after two crucial matches on Wednesday at Chyasal Stadium.

Victories for Rapti FC and New Road Team (NRT) have reshuffled the standings, pushing the final qualifying spots to the very last games.

In a key matchup, Rapti FC pulled off an upset by defeating Church Boys United 2-1.

Church Boys could have secured an early qualification with a win or a draw, but the loss forces them to play their final match under pressure.

Rapti’s Manisha Sen and an own goal by Church Boys’ Sarita Kumari Nath gave Rapti an early lead.

Although Barsha Oli managed to score a late goal for Church Boys, it wasn’t enough to secure a comeback.

The win brings Rapti’s total to 13 points, placing them at the top of Group A.

Church Boys, RC Resort, and Beach FC are now tied with 12 points each.

Meanwhile, in Group B, NRT defeated Butwal Lumbini FC with a 2-0 victory, bringing them closer to a qualifying spot.

Juna Tamang and Pratikshya Thakuri scored for NRT, who now have 12 points from five games.

They need a win or a draw against Sankata Club in their final game to guarantee their qualification.

With only a few games remaining, the final standings are becoming clearer. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly.

The two teams that finish third in their respective groups will then face each other in a knockout match for the fifth and final spot.

Sankata Football Club, with 15 points, has already become the first team to officially qualify from Group B.