Real Kashmir script soccer history
Real Kashmir FC on Wednesday became the first football club from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify for the country’s I- League after they won the second division league by beating Delhi side Hindustan FC 3- 2 in Bengaluru.
The side from the Kashmir Valley won the second division league as they secured seven points with two wins and a draw from three matches in the final round.
Real Kashmir scored through Ifham Tariq Mir ( 22nd minute), Danish Farooq ( 42nd) and Nadong Bhutia ( 67th) while Kushant Chauhan ( 34th, 80th) was on target for Hindustan FC at the FSV Arena.
David Robertson’s Srinagarbased side only needed a point to win the title and promotion but produced a clinically efficient performance to create history.
Hindustan FC started the match on a dominant note and created the first chance in the 17th minute when Nikhil Gehlot delivered a free- kick into the box, but Pawan Pratap Singh was unable to hit the target with his header.
That proved to be a costly miss as Real Kashmir took the lead five minutes later through Ifham, who collected a pass from Danish before calmly slotting past Mithun Samonto.
Hindustan FC then came close to levelling the scoreline in the 28th minute but Kushant’s shot went wide of the target.
Kushant, however, redeemed himself by scoring the equaliser in the 34th minute.
Real Kashmir restored their lead three minutes before halftime when a swift counterattacking move allowed Danish the easiest of tap- ins.
The second half saw Real Kashmir on the ascendancy from the beginning and unlike the first- half where they sat back and allowed Hindustan FC space, the Kashmir side opted for a more aggressive game.
They made it 3- 1 in the 67th minute when Nadong, who came in as a substitute, scored from Ifham’s point- perfect pass.
HFC went all out towards the end and were rewarded with a goal in the 80th minute courtesy Kushant. The Delhi club ended second with four points from three matches.
In another game, local outfit Ozone FC and TRAU FC of Manipur played out a 0- 0 draw to finish third and fourth, respectively.