I-League: Danish Farooq winner places Real Kashmir in third place

Real Kashmir FC maintained their excellent record at home with a 1-0 victory over NEROCA FC at TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Young Dan Farooq scored what turned out to be the game's winning goal in the 42nd minute.

The result brings Real Kashmir to third place in the I-League standings with 22 points, while NEROCA remains in relegation (10th) with 15 points.

Tributes poured in from the stands and the Kashmir team for young midfielder Ritwik Kumar Das, who missed the match after his father's untimely death. Chesterpoul Lyngdoh took his place in the XI, explaining the only change that David Robertson made to his alignment.

NEROCA Director Gift Raikhan made three changes. Chanso Horam and Zodingliana Ralte were reinstated in the midfield, while Ronald Singh started in front of Boubacar Diarra at the front.

The host threatened early and had the best of exchanges. The first chance came in the seventh minute, when Bazie Armans' wayward release proved to be a good cross-delivery for Mason Robertson. The Scotsman hung on to it and went for the spectacular on the fly from the edge of the box, finding the side net.

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A bizarre turn of events ensued four minutes later. NEROCAs Ousmane Diawara has been shown a straight red. The players argued his case and after a brief consultation with the assistant referee, the red card was canceled, much to the relief of Gift Raikhans.

NEROCA has sometimes disturbed the bottom line of Kashmir. In the 20th minute, Pritam Singh had a good run and after apparently running out of ideas, he squared it for Zodingliana, who whipped in a low delivery across the goal. Ronald Singh put his foot out to the end of the center but Kashmiri goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa was aware of the danger and did well to keep it away.

The deadlock was broken in the 42nd minute, when the center of Chesterpaul Lyngdohs found the Dane completely trivialized and the young local man was not mistaken with his arrival at the head through the goal for put his team in front.

The Dane could have scored two in the final seconds of time out, but was refused by some goalkeepers. It was yet another cross-field delivery from Bazie Armand who created the opening, as the Dane grabbed onto it and tried to keep goalkeeper Bishorjit Singh, but to his credit , the NEROCA goalkeeper made an exceptional double save by first moving the bite out of the flea by doing a full stretch and a second backward throw towards the goal and pushing it away, which turned out to be the last action before the break.

The Snow Leopards remained looking for a two-goal cushion, but were denied by a narrow margin. In the 52nd minute, Chesterpaul Lyngdoh made a good descent, helping Higginbothams, who had been closed by three orange shirts near the sideline.

The Englishman fed Lyngdoh with a delicious back-flick, crossing him into the surface in search of Robin Singh. The veteran striker won the air battle against the goalkeeper, but his head was wiped off the line dramatically by Govin Singh.

NEROCA did not drop the pursuit and had its moments. Imran Khan tried his luck from a distance but Lachenpa was up to the task, making a good save.

The host, however, was the best team of the afternoon and could have added at least one more. The Danish striker had a wonderful opportunity on the break and with only the goalkeeper to beat, placed his shot straight at him.

Loveday Okechukwu had a speculative crack in his own half and ambition almost paid dividends, as his effort landed on the roof of the net, saving goalkeeper Bishorjit's blush.

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