I-League 2024-25: Real Kashmir FC continue to shine at home

Real Kashmir FC picked up their second win in three matches in the I-League 2024-25 when they beat Delhi FC 2-1 at the TRC Football Turf on Wednesday. All the goals came in the second half. While Bouba Aminou (72') and Lalramdinsanga Ralte (84') scored for the hosts, Stephane Samir Binong reduced the margin for Delhi FC a minute before the end of regulation time.

Ishfaq Ahmed-coached Real Kashmir FC, who have so far played all their matches at home, have seven points from three matches, while Delhi FC suffered their second consecutive defeat to remain with the only point they earned from the draw against Namdhari FC. Off-the-ball incidents generated more excitement in the first half than the actual game. Delhi FC goalkeeper Debnath Mondal was in the news for the wrong reasons.

On one occasion, the lanky goalkeeper left his charge and reached the opposite area to argue with the referee on a free-kick decision and returned to his position with a yellow card. The next time Mondal dangerously left his area in an attempt to foil a rival striker. He got beaten, and only a goalline clearance by a defender saved the moment for the visiting side.

Mondal, however, also had his skills in place when he negotiated well with a couple of long rangers. The 27-year-old finally ran out of luck in the 72nd minute when Cameroonian Bouba Aminou headed home from close. It was a move that was initiated by Aminou himself from the left, and after a few passes, a long ball travelled from the right at the Delhi FC goalmouth for Aminou, who, by then, had taken his position at the right place to head it in.

The second goal came in the 84th minute. This time, Delhi FC defence was caught napping when a through pass found Lalramdinsanga Ralte in the open. The agile midfielder took the best advantage of it and ran through to beat the goalkeeper.

Some excitement was injected into the game when substitute Cameroonian Stephane Samir Binong pulled one back for Delhi FC. However, instead of a Delhi FC revival, it was Real Kashmir FC, who earned a penalty during the eight-minute add-on time. It was missed by Senegalese recruit Abdou Karim Samb.

Overall, the chances were few and far between for both teams. While Real Kashmir looked more comfortable in the temperature hovering around 9 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, Delhi FC, fresh from their 1-5 drubbing against Inter Kashi, managed to even the exchange rates in midfield.

The Delhi side's best moment came in the ninth minute when their tall attacker Hridaya Jain spectacularly got past two defenders and passed it at the goalmouth for someone to finish the job. But his teammates were slow to react, and the ball was intercepted.

The home side had a good chance to go up in the 15th minute when Mondal nearly let his team down by coming out of the box and missing the ball completely. Ghanaian Ocran Conney Idan had an open goal in front of him, but his feeble attempt was cleared by a defender from the goal line. (ANI)