Mahilpur Football Stadium: Real Kashmir beat Delhi FC 2-1 at the Mahilpur Football Stadium on Saturday, condemning the latter to relegation from I-League 2024-25, as they are left with no mathematical chance for survival. Real Kashmir led 2-0 at half-time. Real Kashmir, meanwhile, are two points off the top of the table with 35 points from 20 matches, having played a game more, with two games of the season remaining.Mohammad Inam (4’) and Gnohere Krizo (26’) scored two in the first half for Real Kashmir, before Hridaya Jain’s 55th-minute penalty pulled one back for Delhi FC.
Real Kashmir were on the scoresheet within the opening five minutes, courtesy of some calamitous defending by the hosts. Having picked up the ball on the left flank, Mohammad Inam drove along the line before zipping a low hard cross into the six-yard area. Pressured by Gnohere Krizo, the defenders failed to clear it and in the melee, goalkeeper Debnath Mondal spilt the ball back into play. Inam had followed his cross through and slammed the loose ball into the net.
Kashmir’s pressure did not ease up, and neither did Delhi’s defensive lapses. In the 27th minute, Krizo benefitted from one to extend their lead. To deal with a long ball aimed at Krizo, Mondal came off his line, outside the box to try and head the ball away. He misjudged the bounce, leaving Krizo to tap the ball into an empty net.
The errors racked up and in the 40th minute, Krizo had another similar opportunity, when Mondal spilled a routine cross into his path. The Ivorian shot the first time towards the unguarded goal, only for Joseph Lalmuanawma, way back in defence, to stick a leg out and deflect it over the net.
Delhi got better in the second half and in the opening 15 minutes of the period even threatened to cut Kashmir’s lead. Samir Binong in particular tested Furqan Ahmad Dar multiple times, drawing sharp saves from the keeper. Just reward for these efforts arrived in the 54th minute when Binong, twisting and turning, was brought down inside the box.
The referee pointed to the spot and Hridaya Jain was tasked with putting it away. The youngster did so with aplomb to halve the deficit. Delhi kept up the pressure knowing that their survival depended on eking out at least a point.
Delhi got better in the second half and in the opening 15 minutes of the period even threatened to cut Kashmir’s lead. Samir Binong in particular tested Furqan Ahmad Dar multiple times, drawing sharp saves from the keeper. Just reward for these efforts arrived in the 54th minute when Binong, twisting and turning, was brought down inside the box.
Article Source: IANS
