Sreenidi stun Gokulam
Lalromawia hat-trick takes I-League title race to the wire
Naihati (West Bengal), May 11: This season’s ILeague title will be decided on the final match day on Saturday Sreenidi Deccan Football Club scored a stunning 3-1 victory over defending champions Gokulam Kerala in their penultimate championship phase game here on Tuesday night.
Gokulam needed just a draw against Sreenidi to win the crown and become the first club to defend the title in the history of the 15-year-old I-League. But they slumped to their first defeat, which came at a crucial juncture.
No club in the I-League era has defended its title. Kolkata side East Bengal had achieved the feat in the era of National Football League, the predecessor of I-League, by winning title in 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
Lalromawia was the star of the match as struck a hat-trick in the 19th, 34th and 37th minutes while Sharif M. Mohammad pulled one back for Gokulam in the 47th minute.
Goalkeeper Aryan Niraj Lamba was also dynamic while guarding the goal and played a key role in SDFC’s victory.
Gokulam’s defeat meant that the I-League title will once again go down the wire. The champion side will be decided in the last championship phase match on Saturday between Gokulam and Mohammedan Sporting Club, who beat Rajasthan
United 2-0 earlier in the day at Kalyani.
With the defeat, Gokulam remained static at 40 points while Mohammedan Sporting are placed second, just three points behind on 37. The top two will face each other in the final game of the season in a winnertakes-all clash at the Salt Lake Stadium. Having
played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the season, neither Gokulam Kerala nor Mohammedan SC hold any advantage when it comes to head-to-head, as that parameter is considered before goal difference comes into the picture.
Sreenidi, which jumped to fourth place with 29 points from 17 matches, dominated Gokulam in all
the vital statistics — ball possession, corners secured and the shots on target.
Brimming with optimism SDFC take on Churchill Brothers in their next match of the tournament.
In the Mohammedan Sporting vs Rajasthan United match, Brandon Vanlalremdika scored a
brace to keep the Black Panthers in the title race.
Mohammedan took the lead in the second minute when Vanlalremdika scored from close range after being set up by Shaher Shaheen.
Vanlalremdika completed his double in the 56th minute as Mohammedan notched their 11th win in 17 matches. —