I-League 2024-25: Inter Kashi edges past Namdhari
Inter Kashi laid down the marker for Churchill Brothers, beating Namdhari FC 3-2 in the I-League 2024-25 at the Kalyani Stadium on Thursday and retaking the top spot on the table. All the goals came in the second half.
In a sedate first half, the only real moment of note was an injury to Namdhari goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh, who was taken off after a collision with a suspected hand injury. While Inter Kashi had controlled the game well through the period, it had come up short against an organised and well-drilled Namdhari defence.
In the second half, things turned completely, and within three minutes of the restart, Kashi took the lead. Having received the ball around at the top of the Namdhari box, Sumeet Passi laid it back into the path of Nikola Stojanovic. The Serbian timed his run perfectly, rolled the ball to his left foot, turned away from the defenders and smashed it into the top left corner.
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Kashi firmly had its hand on the tiller and looked in complete control of the game. In the 67th minute, off a counter-attack, Cledson Dasilva ran through on goal and smashed a shot from range against the crossbar. The Kashi defence was caught ball-watching, and the Brazilian got the time to reach for the rebound, only to be brought down inside the box. He scored the ensuing penalty despite Arindam Bhattacharya guessing right and getting his palm to it.
The game turned into an end-to-end affair, and Kashi almost took the lead within minutes when Joni Kauko was played through on goal with a chipped pass. The substitute goalkeeper, Nishan Singh did well to block the attempt. In the 70th minute, he had no chance to redeem his defence. A squared pass from the left wing went through an immobile Namdhari defence for Passi to tap in at the far post.
Barely a minute later, Edmund Lalrindika added a third, sliding through defenders at the top of the box before shooting an inch-perfect shot that bounced in off the upright. Namdhari made a game of it with a goal in the 82nd minute when Dharmpreet Singh scored to reduce the deficit. In the end, Kashi had enough to see the time through and take the three valuable points.
-Team Sportstar
IWL 2024-25: Kickstart gets first victory after 2-0 win against Sethu
The Indian Women’s League 2024-25 saw its Round Seven opener at the Nehru Stadium as Kickstart FC finally managed to shrug off its winless tag with a 2-0 victory over Sethu FC on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
The winner, who scored both their goals in the second half, struck through Ghanaian striker Philomena Abakah (55’) and Renu (90+ 1’).
With this win, Kickstart FC strengthened its position on the points table with six points in seven matches, while Sethu missed out on an opportunity to climb a place further ahead in the league. Sethu has collected 10 points from seven matches.
As the game kicked off, both teams wasted no time in setting the tempo, eager to take control of the game. On the right wing, Kickstart’s Dangmei Grace was a constant menace, tirelessly delivering crosses into the box and even stepping into the striker’s role when needed.
Malavika P, on the other side, mirrored her impact for Sethu FC, orchestrating attacks with her sharp runs into the box.
Kickstart FC finally broke the deadlock through Philomena Abakah, who rose to the occasion with a well-placed header off a long free kick in the 55th minute. The Ghanaian found herself unmarked in the box and made no mistake, guiding the ball into the near corner to put her team ahead.
The winner showed no signs of slowing down after taking the lead. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Kickstart FC delivered the final blow. A perfect pass from the right found Renu, who, with a delicate tap-in, sealed the victory, leaving Sethu FC with no way back.
Hadijah Nandago played a pivotal role for Sethu FC, constantly dropping deep to orchestrate play. Her link-up passes and movement created vital spaces, allowing her team to build momentum in attacks, but Kickstart FC’s goalkeeper, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, foiled all their efforts with crucial saves.
-Team Sportstar
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com