I-League: Real Kashmir beat Namdhari FC; SC Bengaluru hold Inter Kashi to draw

Real Kashmir FC scored a habitual home win as they beat Namdhari FC 1-0 at the TRC Turf Ground on Tuesday in the 2024-25 I-League.

With five victories in the last seven games, the Snow Leopards have recovered from their poor form in the mid-season and re-announced themselves in the title race.

Brazilian striker Paulo Cézar scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the seventh minute.

Real Kashmir, who are the only side yet to lose at home this season, have overtaken Namdhari for second spot with 26 points in 15 matches.

On the other hand, the Punjab side are in a slump, winning just one of the last five games that has seriously dented their title chances. The result also ensured Churchill Brothers, who are at 28 points, will remain top of the table until the end of Round 15, at least.

Real Kashmir were their usual confident selves at home and began on the front foot, with Karim Samb earning the penalty after being tripped by Joseph Gordon. Paulo Cézar stepped up and sent goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh the wrong way to score his sixth goal of the season and put the hosts ahead.

The Snow Leopards’ lead would’ve been doubled in the 20th minute if not for a sensational last-ditch tackle by former Real Kashmir defender Lamine Moro.

Karim Samb, who was slipped through on goal by Asrar Rehber, rounded Jaspreet and seemingly had an open net to aim at until Moro executed an impeccable slide, nicking the ball off the Senegalese’s feet barely a yard out of the goal.

Mohammad Inam, who scored Real Kashmir’s winner against Gokulam Kerala in the previous round, looked lively again. A few minutes before half-time, he cut through the middle and hit a powerful shot that was palmed away by Jaspreet.

The attack was kept alive by the hosts and Asrar set up Karim Samb, whose first time shot was blocked by Harpreet Singh as Namdhari continued to defend desperately.

The visitors had been rather blunt in attack in the first half and their talisman Cledson Carvalho da Silva was aching to change that in the second.

The Brazilian often lacked support in the final third and had to rely solely on himself. In the 62nd minute, he got half a sight of goal for the first time in the match after getting some space behind Aminou Bouba. He tried to lob the goalkeeper but slightly overhit it.

Later, Cledson brilliantly beat two yellow shirts alone and pulled the trigger from outside the box but was denied by a prompt block from captain Muhammad Hammad.

However, it was Moro to whom the biggest chance of a Namdhari equaliser fell in the 91st minute. Pragyan Gogoi found him unmarked at the far post with an inswinging corner but the Ghanaian headed the golden opportunity inches over the bar from inside the six-yard box that meant Namdhari failed to score for the first time in nine matches.

Bengaluru SC holds Inter Kashi to draw

Later in the day, SC Bengaluru played out a goalless draw against Inter Kashi FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium.

The result saw Inter Kashi drop a place to fourth in the I-League table, three points adrift for leaders Churchill Brothers, while SC Bengaluru are now three points clear of the relegation zone.

In a first half devoid of much action from either side, it was Inter Kashi who controlled the flow of the game as SC Bengaluru stayed smart to defend in numbers and ensure they weren’t breached early.

Playing on the counter suited them, with Thomyo Shimray’s speed on the wing the key to pegging Inter Kashi back in their own half.

And yet, despite that, neither side really tested the goalkeepers through the period.

Kashi’s Serbian striker Matja Babovic had the best chance to strike the first blow. The chance arrived right at the end of the half, when Babovic capitalised on a shoddy clearance from a cross, to fire a first time shot way over the bar.

The intensity of the game remained the same in the second half, even if both sides did start mustering more efforts towards goal.

Goalkeepers Yuya Kuriyama and Arindam Bhattacharja remained fairly untroubled through most of it. As the game wore on, Nikola Stojanovic became more influential in the proceedings, and even mustered a few shots from distance to the hosts’ goal.

At the other end Jordan Lamela played a key role, pulling the strings in the hosts’ attacks, though the few shots he managed to fire went well over the cross-piece. In the end, a goalless draw, while not the most exciting outcome, would have been acceptable to both sides, the hosts most, as it put them in a more comfortable position in terms of their struggle against relegation.