I-League 2024-25: Real Kashmir FC beats Namdhari FC 1-0
Real Kashmir FC scored a habitual home win as it beat Namdhari FC 1-0 in the I-League 2024-25 clash at the TRC Turf Ground on Tuesday. With five victories in the last seven games, the Snow Leopards have recovered from their poor form in the mid-season and re-announced themselves in the title race.
Brazilian striker Paulo Cézar scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the seventh minute. Real Kashmir was its usual confident self at home and began on the front foot, with Karim Samb earning the penalty after being tripped by Joseph Gordon. Cézar stepped up and sent goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh the wrong way to score his sixth goal of the season and put the hosts ahead.
Real Kashmir, which is the only side yet to lose at home this season (six wins and three draws), has overtaken Namdhari for second spot with 26 points in 15 matches.
On the other hand, the Punjab side is in a slump, winning just one of the last five games, which has seriously dented its title chances. Inter Kashi, which will meet SC Bengaluru later in the day, is currently in fourth place with 24 points from 14 matches.
The result also ensured Churchill Brothers, which is at 28 points, will remain top of the table until the end of Round 15, at least.
SC Bengaluru holds Inter Kashi to goalless draw
SC Bengaluru played out a goalless draw in I-League 2024-25 against Inter Kashi FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Tuesday.
The result saw Inter Kashi drop a place to fourth in the I-League table, three points adrift of leader Churchill Brothers, while SC Bengaluru is now three points clear of the relegation zone.
In a first half devoid of much action from either side, it was Inter Kashi which controlled the flow of the game as SC Bengaluru stayed smart to defend in numbers and ensure it was not breached early.
Playing on the counter suited them, with Thomyo Shimray’s speed on the wing the key to pegging Inter Kashi back in its own half. And yet, despite that, neither side really tested the goalkeepers through the period.
Pink Ladies Cup: We want to control the game aggressively, says Alexandersson ahead of opener against Jordan
The Indian U20 women’s team will take on Jordan in the first match of the Pink Ladies U20 Youth Cup on Wednesday at the Emirhan Sport Centre in Manavgat, Turkiye.
The Young Tigresses arrived in Manavgat, a small town 75 kilometres from the major city of Antalya, on Monday evening and will have their first training session later on Tuesday.
For India, this friendly tournament is part of its preparations for the SAFF U20 Women’s Championship (July) and the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers (August). Alexandersson’s side will later face Hong Kong (February 22) and Russia (February 25).
But the first challenge is Jordan, a side against which India has generally had an upper hand at the youth level. In the erstwhile AFC U19 Women’s Championship Qualifiers, India has beaten Jordan twice and lost once. In February 2023, India U17 women beat the West Asians twice in two friendlies (7-0 and 6-0), where winger Pooja, who is part of the current U20 squad, scored twice.
“Jordan are a physically strong team with a couple of speedy and aggressive players who like to get in the space behind the back four. They are good at building up and very often set up a high block and try to force errors,” said Alexandersson.
“I want us to shift the ball quickly from side to side to beat their press and avoid unnecessary ball losses. We want to control the game and use the flanks and space behind,” he added.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com